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Israel Adesanya has surprised many in the MMA world by claiming that he would compete for the light heavyweight championship (205 pounds) on March 6th at 193 pounds.
In a recent interview with ESPN MMA, Israel Adesanya said:
"Weight is an issue, yes, it is a problem if you know how to use it right but also there is a certain place, a certain mark where it becomes a big problem. Like if I fought like a guy that was 300 pounds, I could probably still beat him, but there is a problem if he grabs me and just decides to pin on me. I can't benchpress 300 kgs, so that would be a problem for me, so, yeah, I'll be alright."
While talking about his slim frame, Israel Adesanya went on to say that he has not changed anything in his training, nor is he planning to put on more muscle or any more weight. He believes that he would weigh somewhere between 195-200 pounds on the night of the fight.
Watch the full video here:
Israel Adesanya is unbeaten in the MMA
UFC's current middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is set to take on light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259 on Saturday, March 6th.
Israel Adesanya will come in with an unbeaten MMA record of 20 wins and zero losses, with 15 of those victories being knockouts.
He has taken on and beaten some of the best the UFC has to offer. The fighters Israel Adesanya has defeated include Paulo Costa, Yoel Romero, Robert Whittaker, Kevin Gastelum and Anderson Silva.
In addition to his stellar MMA record, Adesanya also holds a record of 75 wins and five losses in kickboxing and a boxing record of five wins and one loss. Israel Adesanya has claimed that 2021 would be huge for him, as he also hopes to fight Jon Jones after Blachowicz.
Blachowicz is a powerful puncher, and Adesanya is arguably one of the best strikers in the UFC, which makes their upcoming fight an enticing one.
Israel Adesanya aims to become a 'double champion' by holding two championship belts in the UFC at the same time. So far, only Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes, Henry Cejudo and Conor McGregor have held two UFC belts simultaneously.
No one has ever conquered the 185 pound and the 205-pound weight class at the same time, though. But Adesanya believes he could be the first one to do so in the history of the promotion.
