Scouting Report: Israel Adesanya

Israel Adesanya

Born: July 22, 1989 (Age: 33) in Lagos, Nigeria
Division: Middleweight
Height: 6’4”
Reach: 80”
Record: 23-2 (12-2 UFC)
Association: City Kickboxing
Stage of Career: Prime

Summary: Adesanya might be the best striker in mixed martial arts, and he has certainly adapted his world-class skills as a kickboxer as well as anyone. His patient, cerebral style and potent weaponry allow him to counter opponents to great effect while also affording him the opportunity to crash the distance, offensively and defensively. Adesanya became the 11th undisputed middleweight titleholder in Ultimate Fighting Championship history when he knocked out Robert Whittaker in the second round of their UFC 243 main event on Oct. 5, 2019. He retained it on five different occasions before surrendering it to Alex Pereira in a fifth-round technical knockout at UFC 281.

STRIKING

• Stance: Hyper switch.
• Hand Speed: Fast, significantly more so than the average UFC middleweight.
• Jab: Excellent, fast jab with lots of length and snapping power.
• Cross: Stinging power but not his best knockout option.
• Left Hook: Laser-accurate with a very tight arc and proper body rotation.
• Right Hook: Tremendous weapon and his best counter punch.
• Overhand: Rarely utilized but efficient.
• Solitary Striker or Volume Puncher: One-shot sniper yet capable of brilliant combinations.
• Leg Kicks: Fast and powerful.
• Body Kicks: Good, but teep to the knee technique is downright excellent due to its accuracy.
• Head Kicks: Absolutely magnificent left head kick; remarkably sudden and connects hard.
• Chains Kicks to Punches: Very rarely.
• Knees at Range: Dangerous timing for opponents, especially when approaching hunched over.

Adesanya constantly switches stances and keeps opponents guessing. He has much faster hands than the average middleweight and features an electric jab that is equal parts fast and powerful. Adesanya unleashes his right cross with speed and accuracy, but it generally lacks knockout power. The left hook carries a tight arc and proper body rotation, giving him solid speed and power. Adesanya has been laser-accurate with the punch in big moments, flooring Paulo Costa and finishing Whittaker with it. His right hook might be superior, with tighter arc and better rotation. It has become a tremendous weapon for Adesanya against opponents who get too close. The former middleweight champion wields a serviceable overhand right, though he rarely utilizes it. Solid technically, it follows the proper arc with speed and power. The jury remains out on its accuracy. Adesanya has always been more of a sniper, but he can throw damaging combinations when he senses an opening. “The Last Stylebender” leans on impactful leg kicks, while also doing damage to the body with his lower extremities. Adesanya is masterful with his execution of the teep to the knee and can venture upstairs with devastating rear-leg head kicks that are remarkably fast and sudden. Flexibility and dexterity are obvious strengths. Adesanya tends not to chain kicks to punches. His knees from range give takedown-minded opponents yet another weapon about which to worry, as they can flip the switch in an instant.

CLINCH

• Physical Strength: Very strong, controlling opponents with a Thai plum and able to throw/trip.
• Technique: Masterful; possesses all of the fundamentals.
• Knees: Good but underutilized.
• Elbows: Particularly effective when exiting the clinch.

Adesanya’s wiry frame belies real physical strength to go along with technique in the clinch. He can control opponents from the Thai plum, either by striking or by throwing them off-balance to shut down potential grappling exchanges. Adesanya has an excellent feel for the close-quarters fundamentals, giving him one more leg up against the competition. His knees and elbows—particularly on the exit—are absolutely lethal, making opponents think twice about pursuing him in the proverbial phone booth. Defense has always been an asset for Adesanya and should allow him to age well in the sport. Fluid, evasive movements and uncanny instincts allow him to get out of danger, and his ability to shift laterally and change angles offers him more avenues for retreat than the ordinary fighter. Adesanya also has a knack for grabbing an opponent’s hands when necessary. He prefers not to go toe-to-toe and has a tendency to pull back with his head, which could potentially be exploited. Every fighter has weaknesses, but Adesanya’s are few.

GRAPPLING

• Wrestling from a Shot: None.
• Wrestling in the Clinch: Decent; strong muay thai approach.
• Takedown Defense: Excellent. Can be taken down only by very skilled, determined wrestlers.
• Ability to Return to Feet: One of the very best in the world at this. Athletic wall walker.
• Defense/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from the Bottom: Decent. Can throw up submissions to generate space or get back up.
• Top Control: Difficult to judge, as he only stays on top if he has an opponent hurt.
• Ground-and-Pound: Able to finish off hurt fighters.

Adesanya rarely initiates wrestling exchanges, as evidenced by the fact that he attempted only three takedowns in his first 13 appearances in the UFC; he tried four of them in his first encounter with Pereira. He can handle himself from a defensive standpoint, as only the most determined opponents have been able to take him down. Where Adesanya truly excels is in his get-up game. Only former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz—a man who outweighed Adesanya by 20-plus pounds—has managed to keep him on the canvas for a meaningful amount of time. His fantastic wall walk, when combined with his well-versed technique and preternatural athleticism make him nearly impossible to corral. Adesanya can throw up submissions when the situation calls for it but usually only does so as a means to generate space, build a base and get back to his feet. With that said, he tends to surrender his back too easily and could put himself in danger against the true submission savants of the sport. Positional control from the top and ground-and-pound are difficult to quantify, as Adesanya generally takes up those reins once he has an opponent hurt. For what it is worth, he has managed to finish off compromised counterparts.

INTANGIBLES

• Athleticism/General Physical Strength: Excellent in both regards.
• Cardio: Elite for the weight class. Often looks strong well into the championship rounds.
• Chin: Solid but perhaps less so after being finished by Pereira. He can absolutely be hurt or knocked down by a hard, clean strike.
• Recuperative Powers: Outside of his ill-fated battle with Pereira, he has remained hurt for a shockingly short period of time.
• Intelligence: High fight IQ, which fits his cerebral style. Learns from past fights and executes game plans.

Strength and athleticism are off the charts for Adesanya and should remain so for the foreseeable future. His cardio has held up thus far, as he has gone a full five rounds on six different occasions. While Adesanya’s explosiveness and ability to get back to his feet wane late in bouts, fatigue tends to have that effect on most fighters. He sports a solid chin and recovers well when opponents find the mark, but he has been hurt in the UFC—Kelvin Gastelum staggered him more than once and Pereira put him away—and has been knocked out by Pereira in kickboxing competition. Intellect could be Adesanya’s best weapon. His approach complements his style beautifully, and he has shown the ability to implement gameplans to near perfection. Better yet, Adesanya seems to learn from his mistakes.