When one asks who exactly Israel Adesanya is, one must look at his accomplishments and the path ahead. He is a kickboxer with an astounding record of 75-4, and at 28 years old, he entered mixed martial arts at the perfect time.
His experience in both rings and cages have prepared him for the sturdiest of opponents, and he is bar none the best striker in the UFC. If I may recommend a Youtube video (and channel altogether), there is a man named Lawrence Kenshin who is one of the greatest striking analysts of our era. When you watch his breakdown of Israel, you can see the sophistication and deadly nature of this every man's move.
Feinting with jabs and using a shoulder roll as evasion is primarily a trait taught in boxing. Israel combines the fluidity of straight punches with high kicks to make him a supreme threat at every angle. His incredibly long reach and lanky frame make it nearly impossible for anyone to get inside, and even if you do try and wrestle him to the floor, you will eat something very nasty and painful to do so.
Israel is a pure assassin. In the cage, there is nothing but ferocity in his heart and the mission at hand. His goal is to finish each time out, and although the competition is only getting more fierce at a higher level, the Stylebender is ready for all comers. In regards to pure striking nobody can handle the technique, aggression, and power of Adesanya. The only way to beat this man is to use grappling, and most fighters find that out the hard way.
The upcoming 5 round main event today stars both Adesanya and his rival Brad Tavares. The Hawaiin Tavares is a serious veteran with a heavy wrestling accumen under his belt. The Couture Gym product has been in the UFC for many years now, and this is almost a passing of the torch fight. This will be Israel's toughest test to date (by a heavy margin), but Tavares has been exposed and knocked out before... so Israel has obviously seen these openings.
Keep an eye out on this man, he is a future legend!
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