5 Things You Might Not Know About Israel Adesanya

UFC 230 is now available on Amazon Prime.

Israel Adesanya is an unbeaten middleweight, currently plying his trade with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In his next appearance, the 14-0 Adesanya will face Derek Brunson on the main card of UFC 230 at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 3.

As fight day looms, here are five things that you might not know about the elite prospect they call “The Last Stylebender:”

1. He is a knockout artist.

The 29-year-old Adesanya has a penchant for stopping his opponents with strikes. Of his 14 victories to date, 12 (86%) have come via KO/TKO. Six of those have been first round finishes. Prior to his last two bouts, both decision wins, Adesanya had won every one of his professional MMA contests by KO/TKO.

2. His moniker was inspired by a TV series.

As a youngster, Adesanya was an avid watcher of the children’s television series, ‘Avatar’. He related to the main character Aang the Avatar, due to his desire to master the four elements (fire, water, air and earth) in order to realise his potential. In later years, Adesanya saw similarities between the character’s quest and his own desire to learn all the facets of MMA, hence his utilisation of the moniker, ‘The Last Stylebender’. The general consensus is that it is a good fit for his flashy fighting style.

3. He lives in New Zealand.

Adesanya was born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1989. In 2001, at the age of 12, he moved with his family half way across the world to New Zealand. Initially, he found it extremely challenging settling into his new existence. Adesanya has said in interviews that the change in lifestyle did not suit him, and that he particularly missed Nigerian food.

However, Adesanya claims that the main problem was the bullying and racism that he experienced in his adopted country. It was these that led Adesanya to commence training in kickboxing as a form of self-defense. These days he feels far more comfortable living in New Zealand, although he continues to miss his homeland’s cuisine.

4. He used to be a professional kickboxer.

As a child, Adesanya had a brief flirtation with taekwondo. It ended when, according to Adesanya, “My mom pulled me out of it because I started kicking everything in the house.”

Adesanya was not to recommence martial arts training until, at the age of 18, he started kickboxing. “The Last Stylebender” accumulated a 32-0 record in amateur kickboxing before turning professional. His success continued in the paid ranks, where he amassed a remarkable 75-5-1 record. Adesanya’s accolades in the sport include three titles in New Zealand’s King in the Ring kickboxing tournament, a record for the promotion.

5. He loves dancing.

Like many natives of dance-obsessed Nigeria, Adesanya is a keen dancer. Ever since he was a small child, he has been intent on perfecting his moves. Prior to considering an MMA career, Adesanya toyed with the idea of becoming a professional dancer. However, his parents were vehemently opposed. They wanted their son to get a degree and pursue a “profession.”

There is no doubt that Adesanya’s dedication to dance has been beneficial to the rangy, 6-foot-3 pugilist’s fluid movement and exceptional footwork. However, he has not ruled out the possibility of making dancing his career once his fighting days are over.