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Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has given a breakdown of the fight between himself and Anderson Silva from 2019. Adesanya admitted that there was a moment in the contest when Silva hurt him, revealing he could see "three Silvas."
The bout between 'The Last Stylebender' and 'The Spider' was seen as a true passing of the torch moment. It was the GOAT of the division up against the prospect. The two men produced a three-round clinic that featured elite striking, their own flash moves and major respect between the pair. Adesanya went on to win the fight via unanimous decision.
Speaking on the BT Sport YouTube channel, Adesanya detailed the moment the former middleweight champion had him rocked:
"He got me there and then boom. I saw three Silvas there. He knew I was hurt and he was trying to finish the fight. I was like 'Okay I need to maintain the distance. Do not get finished by The Spider.' I just made sure to get my wits about me. F*****g beautiful. I had fun in this fight."
Israel Adesanya's win over Anderson Silva would be the catalyst for his middleweight success. The next time 'Izzy' stepped into the octagon was for the interim 185lbs title against Kelvin Gastelum. The two men truly went to war and produced 2019's Fight of the Year. The New Zealander won the bout via unanimous decision.
Following his victory and first taste of UFC gold, 'The Last Stylebender' went on to defeat then-champion Robert Whittaker to unify the title and defend it four times. It is clear that he is chasing the middleweight title defense record of 10 held by the great Brazilian.
Watch Israel Adesanya's breakdown of his fight with Anderson Silva here:
Michael Bisping believes Jared Cannonier will be a tough test for Israel Adesanya
Ahead of Adesanya's upcoming middleweight title defense against Jared Cannonier, Michael Bisping has detailed why Cannonier may be more of a threat than some fans think.
Adesanya is looking to extend his undefeated middleweight run (11) and his title defense streak (4). For Cannonier, his bout against the Nigerian-born Kiwi will be his first chance at UFC gold. However, he comes into the fight in fine form, including a devastating stoppage via elbows against Derek Brunson that earned him Performance of the Night at UFC 271.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, 'The Count' stated that for Cannonier to be successful, he needs to approach his fight with Adesanya like he did against Anderson Silva:
"The reflexes were fast. [Jared Cannonier's] certainly very, very fast. When he fought Anderson Silva, he looked like lightning, he landed three right hands in a row. The kicks obviously were on point, his reflexes were great, checked everything, didn't take any damage."
'The Killa Gorilla' will certainly be an interesting match-up for Adesanya. The American has fought at heavyweight, light heavyweight and now middleweight, earning KO victories in each division.
At UFC 276, the two men will throw down in a highly anctipated middleweight clash. Should Israel Adesanya be victorious yet again, fans will wonder if there is anyone that can topple the champion.
