On the night of June 26, 2025, during the UFC’s International Fight Week ceremony in Las Vegas, Israel Mobolaji Temitayo Odunayo Oluwafemi Owolabi Adesanya, better known simply as Israel Adesanya, was officially inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Fight Wing.
His unforgettable five-round war with Kelvin Gastelum on April 13, 2019, at UFC 236 was the bout honored. Widely regarded as one of the most dramatic and technically masterful contests in UFC history, the fight not only earned Fight of the Year honours that season, but has continued to be referenced as a defining moment in middleweight championship lore.
That historic night in Atlanta saw Adesanya and Gastelum clash for the interim UFC Middleweight Championship. The stakes were immense. The build-up had been intense. And the outcome was spectacular. Over five brutal rounds, the two fighters exchanged momentum, tactics, and damage. Going into the final round, many had it scored evenly. But it was Israel Adesanya who summoned something deeper.
Visibly battered and drained, he muttered the now-immortal words, “I’m prepared to die,” before stepping into the fifth round and delivering a clinic that included three knockdowns, clean striking, and superior control.
The judges scored it unanimously for Adesanya, with a decisive 10-8 fifth round, crowning him the interim middleweight champion. This induction, six years after that epic bout, cements Adesanya’s legacy as one of the most influential and celebrated fighters of the modern UFC era.
Born on July 22, 1989, in Lagos, Nigeria, Israel Adesanya, also known as the style-bender, moved to New Zealand in his early teens, where he later transitioned from kickboxing into MMA.
He made his UFC debut on February 11, 2018, at UFC 221 with a TKO win over Rob Wilkinson. From there, his rise was meteoric. Just over a year after his debut, he captured the interim title, and by October 6, 2019, he had unified the division with a knockout victory over Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 in Melbourne.
Israel Adesanya would go on to defend the undisputed middleweight title successfully against Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa, Marvin Vettori, and Jared Cannonier. He briefly moved up to light heavyweight in March 2021 to challenge Jan Błachowicz at UFC 259 but suffered his first professional MMA loss by unanimous decision.
Despite setbacks, including a shock knockout loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 281 in November 2022, Israel Adesanya reclaimed the title in a rematch on April 8, 2023, at UFC 287 in Miami, delivering one of the best performances of his career.
His most recent Octagon appearance came on June 22, 2024, at UFC Saudi Arabia, where he suffered a knockout loss to Nassourdine Imavov. Though that loss marked a low point in terms of form, it had no bearing on the indelible mark he had already left on the sport. As of this Hall of Fame induction, Adesanya’s record stands at 24 wins, 4 losses, with 16 of those wins coming by knockout.
At the induction ceremony, Israel Adesanya, seated cageside at UFC 312, appeared emotional and grateful. In his words:
“That fight with Kelvin changed me. It’s the one where I met myself in the cage. To have it recognized like this means the world. I’ll always respect Kelvin for what he brought out of me.”
UFC President Dana White echoed those sentiments, stating: “That fight was something else. It was heart, grit, technique, everything the sport is supposed to be. Israel’s performance that night was legendary, and now, it’s immortal.”
What’s Next for Israel Adesanya?
Adesanya’s Hall of Fame induction raises fresh questions about whether the former middleweight king will return for one final chapter or quietly bow out on his own terms.
Following his most recent loss to Nassourdine Imavov on June 22, 2024, at UFC Saudi Arabia, speculation around his future intensified. That defeat marked his third loss in four fights, a sharp contrast to the dominant run that once defined his championship reign.
Yet, in typical Israel Adesanya fashion, he has remained elusive about his long-term intentions, neither confirming retirement nor rushing back into fight preparations.
Many believe a farewell fight could be on the horizon, a final appearance in front of the fans who’ve followed his rise from Auckland’s City Kickboxing gym to the very top of the UFC.
If that happens, the UFC will likely position it as a headline event with narrative weight, perhaps even a trilogy bout or a symbolic passing of the torch. Names like Robert Whittaker, Dricus du Plessis, or even a rematch with Imavov could all make sense, not necessarily for rankings, but for legacy.
Still, Israel Adesanya has nothing left to prove competitively. He has been champion, avenged defeats, inspired millions, and elevated the visibility of African fighters globally. In fact, alongside Kamaru Usman and Francis Ngannou, he has been part of a golden era for African representation in MMA.
What lies ahead might not be a fight but a shift in career. Adesanya has previously expressed interest in storytelling, fashion, film, and media, all fields where his charisma, voice, and vision can thrive.
Having already built a massive brand beyond fighting, including endorsements, content ventures, and global outreach, he may now focus on life outside the Octagon, curating his next phase as deliberately as he once did his fighting style.
But knowing Israel Adesanya, unpredictability is part of the script. Whether he announces a comeback or fades into an artistic, advisory, or entrepreneurial role, one thing is now certain: Israel Adesanya’s name will remain forever etched into MMA’s highest echelon.
