Israel Adesanya speaks with Kelvin Gastelum on video call after HOF induction, weighs in on iconic UFC 236 fight: "Forever grateful to him"

Israel Adesanya shared his thoughts on the iconic battle against Kelvin Gastelum. The two fighters competed for the interim middleweight title in the UFC 236 co-main event in April 2019 and produced one of the most memorable matches in the sport's history.

Adesanya won the fight by unanimous decision, capturing the interim title.

During the recent UFC 312 broadcast, the promotion announced that the fight had been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Adesanya interacted with Gastelum via video call after the announcement, and the duo expressed their gratitude for being the perfect dance partners in creating this historic fight.

Adesanya said to Gastelum:

"Hermano! We did it! Congrats to you, man! Hey, it takes two to tango and you're a great salsa partner, man. Thank you so much. That's what I said on the mic, when they put it up on the screen, 'Kelvin, that was us, that was you and me, Hermano.' You're a special human being."

Check out Israel Adesanya and Kelvin Gastelum's interaction below:

Speaking with members of the MMA media at the press conference, Adesanya shared his reflections on the fight and Gastelum, stating:

"That fight was a movie. That was some real-life Ninja sh**. Like, me and this tough Mexican going at it... the scar I have on my lip from the fight when he busted it with a punch, If I look at it in the mirror, if I catch a glimpse of it, a thought of him goes past my head. There's moments in my life when I have to dig deep, or in the gym, and there were moments in that fight where I had to dig deep. And, that helps me fuel myself, you know. So, again, forever grateful for him and those moments."

Check out Israel Adesanya's comments below (2:45):

Gastelum also took to X and shared his thoughts, writing:

"Thank you @stylebender for a classic battle that is now cemented in the UFC Hall Of Fame. You’re a very special individual and I’m very thankful our paths crossed! All glory is for God who strengthens me always and forever. Amen. Gracias a toda mi gente for por el apoyo siempre."

Adesanya and Gastelum's careers took very different paths following their showdown and they never had the opportunity to rematch despite how competitive their fight turned out to be.

'The Last Stylebender' went on to unify the UFC middleweight title by defeating Robert Whittaker and maintained his reign over the division for nearly four years. Meanwhile, Gastelum was in some competitive fights but could not secure another title shot during Adesanya's championship reign.