Israel Adesanya has suffered three consecutive defeats for the first time in his combat sports career. His most recent defeat came against surging contender Nassourdine Imavov in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia on Feb. 1, 2025. 'The Last Stylebender' recently likened his KO defeat to that of Max Holloway's loss against Ilia Topuria at UFC 308.
Adesanya noted that the finishing sequence in both fights was initiated by the losing-fighter switching stances. Both the former middleweight champion and Holloway were caught out of position while switching stances, allowing their respective opponents to capitalize on their mistake with sharp timing.
The Nigerian-born Kiwi recently broke down the similarities of the finishes during an interview with Ariel Helwani, saying:
"I reset myself by accident. I should have just kept on going... It was beautiful [timing] and the way [Imavov] timed when I switched stances. The last time I saw it done was with Max [Holloway] and Ilia [Topuria]. As you were switching stance, boom, attack. It was beautiful, caught me dead to rights."
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Check out Israel Adesanya's comments below (5:30):
Topuria is scheduled to face Charles Oliveira in the main event of UFC 317 for the vacant lightweight title. Ahead of the bout, footage of the Spaniard's KO win over Holloway was released, showcasing the strategies employed by Topuria and his brother, Aleksandre.
Check out footage of Ilia Topuria's KO win over Max Holloway below (via @MMAUNCENSORED1):
Israel Adesanya predicts a knockout finish in Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira
UFC 317 will play host to a thrilling lightweight title fight as Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira go to war over five rounds. But according to Israel Adesanya, the fight won't see all 25 minutes.
'Do Bronx' holds the record for the most UFC finishes of all-time (20), while Topuria has won six of his eight UFC fights via finish. The pair is without a doubt two of the most exciting fighters on the roster right now, and their upcoming clash will almost certainly produce fireworks.
Ahead of the matchup, Israel Adesanya shared his prediction with fans while breaking down UFC 317 on his YouTube channel. He said:
"In this fight I'm gonna go [with] Ilia Topuria and I'm gonna go by knockout. I don't know what round. But for me, it's just because Charles, he gets touched too much for my liking. I just think Ilia will find the shot, I think pretty early."
Check out Israel Adesanya's prediction for Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira below (18:54):
