'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya put his rivalry against Marvin Vettori beyond doubt as he cruised to an authoritative decision victory at UFC 263.
After suffering his first career loss at the hands of UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz, 'The Last Stylebender' rebounded in stellar fashion, showing his kickboxing pedigree and improved grappling. He was never really in any trouble over the duration of the fight and stuffed 10 of Vettori's 14 takedown attempts.
The comprehensive win has further solidified Adesanya's standing as the best middleweight on the planet, and he's running out of challengers in the division. Here are three possible next opponents for Israel Adesanya after his successful title defense at UFC 263.
#3 The winner of Derek Brunson vs Darren Till
Darren Till and Derek Brunson, currently ranked fifth and seventh respectively in the UFC's middleweight division, face off on August 14 in a bout that will have a major impact on the state of the weight class.
Israel Adesanya called out the undisputed No. 1 contender and Trans-Tasman rival Robert Whittaker after his win at UFC 263, but also insisted that a potential fight must happen in Auckland, New Zealand. That might not be possible due to the ongoing pandemic and the UFC might hold off on the fight, especially since Adesanya likes to remain active and Whittaker fought as recently as April.
Adesanya has expressed an interest in facing Till, who offers a real challenge with his powerful striking ability. Brunson, meanwhile, lost to the current UFC middleweight champion in November 2018, but is now an improved wrestler and is on a four-fight win streak.
It seems slightly unlikely, but Israel Adesanya could face the winner of Brunson vs Till in his next middleweight title defense.
#2 The winner of Jan Blachowicz vs Glover Teixeira
Israel Adesanya's foray up to the light heavyweight division didn't go to plan, as he was outwrestled by a bigger and heavier opponent in Jan Blachowicz. But 'The Last Stylebender' expectedly showed massive improvements to his grappling game against Vettori.
Adesanya used the fence well, ensured that he didn't get taken down in the middle of the octagon like he was against the Pole, and used piercing elbows in the clinch. He also scrambled well during the few times he was taken to the mat, reversing positions and hip-escaping capably.
With a few more improvements and a smarter approach to putting on weight, Adesanya could challenge the 205-lbs champion once again. While he will undoubtedly want revenge against Blachowicz, Glover Teixeira could also prove to be an interesting challenge.
But the aging Teixeira may not continue fighting even if he beats Blachowicz at UFC 266 in September. And with Israel Adesanya weighing in well below the 185-lbs limit against Vettori and showing no intentions of moving back up to light heavyweight immediately, the chances of this happening are slim.
#1 Robert Whittaker - faced Israel Adesanya at UFC 243
Robert Whittaker is easily the frontrunner to be Israel Adesanya's next opponent. The former UFC middleweight champion, who lost his title after being knocked out by 'The Last Stylebender' at UFC 243, has since gone on a tear.
With wins over Darren Till, Kelvin Gastelum and Jared Cannonier, Whittaker has established himself as a cut above the rest - well, the rest barring Israel Adesanya. 'The Reaper' offers the biggest striking threat to Adesanya with his impeccable footwork and smart combinations, with the vast majority of fans calling for the rematch to happen.
Even UFC president Dana White has claimed that Whittaker is next in line for the middleweight title shot. And although there are a few doubts regarding the date and venue of the fight, it's highly likely that we see it happen during this calendar year - or at the latest, early next year.
Will Robert Whittaker, who has improved significantly since the first meeting, be able to beat Israel Adesanya at his own game? Only time will tell. But one thing is for certain - there will not be a single dull moment when the two best middleweights in the world are involved.
