Israel Adesanya proved his elite-level talent last night – dominating eighth-ranked middleweight contender Brad Tavares to a unanimous decision victory.
The hype is real ladies and gentlemen!
Israel Adesanya stepped up to the plate in a big way in what was just his third UFC outing last night. Besting the in-form veteran Brad Tavares over five-rounds, the hotly-tipped prospect proved that his transition from his original sport of kickboxing really is going smoothly.
His takedown defence, his cardio over five-rounds and even his grappling were showcased in the TUF 27 Finale’s main event but of course, it was his striking skills that stole the show.
Israel Adesanya's MMA record has no marks ?
Watch out for the elbow in his #TUF27 finale win ?
Another POTN from @stylebender ✅? pic.twitter.com/utvrOzWCFc
— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) July 7, 2018
‘The Last Stylebender’ had been talking a big talk since making his promotional debut earlier this year and while many had called him out for speaking too soon on his talent for this sport, he really managed to shut down a lot of his critics with this one.
I've had this feeling three times over my 10 years covering fighting: Jon Jones, Conor McGregor & tonight
Each time I was accused of being hyperbolic & speaking too soon.
I felt confident in my assessment back then and I do tonight. Adesanya is something special.
— Ryan McKinnell (@RyanMcKinnell) July 7, 2018
7 or 8 years ago, good strikers learned to stop takedowns, but had real difficulty creating separation.
Look at Adesanya. You might press him against the fence, but he's shown an ability to only be pressed there for a minimal amount of time.
He even finds offense off the sep.
— Luke Thomas (@lthomasnews) July 7, 2018
Man. Israel Adesanya is destroying a genuine top 10 MW in his 3rd UFC fight. All while looking like a bonafide 3 dimensional fighter.
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) July 7, 2018
The confidence. The creativity. The mastery of space and distance. The body kicks and those damn Thai knees. What an absolutely sensational performance by Israel Adesanya. #TUF27Finale
— Shaheen Al-Shatti (@shaunalshatti) July 7, 2018
It may still be very early days but the UFC certainly have a real budding talent on their hands with this guy. On top of that, he just happens to be a pretty colourful personality to boot!
Cillian Cunningham, Pundit Arena
Read More About: Brad Tavares, israel adesanya, middleweight, mma, the last stylebender, tuf 27, tuf finale, UFC
