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Israel Adesanya has revealed that his bout with Kelvin Gastelum was one of the most defining fights of his MMA career.
With a professional record of 22-1, it should come as no surprise that the UFC middleweight champion has been involved in some fantastic fights in his career. He may have started off as a kickboxer, but Adesanya's legacy will forever be intertwined with the UFC as a result of his stunning rise to prominence in the organization.
Sure, some of his contests haven't been as entertaining as others. However, Adesanya always goes out there with the intention of putting on a show for the fans.
During a recent interview with Sky Sports, 'The Last Stylebender' suggested that many will remember his fights against Kelvin Gastelum and Robert Whittaker as an everlasting part of his story:
“I feel like there will be a few [defining fights]. I feel one of them was the Gastelum fight. That was a really defining fight in my career. That can’t be taken away. But I feel like there will be a few more, the first Robert fight was one as well. There will be a few more in there that will just take it to the next level.”
Watch Adesanya's interview with Sky Sports below:
What happened when Israel Adesanya fought Kelvin Gastelum?
In the midst of his run to the undisputed middleweight title, Israel Adesanya went up against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236. That contest can only be described as one of the best UFC fights of recent times. It was April 13, 2019 in Atlanta with the UFC interim middleweight championship on the line.
Both men were hurt on the feet, both showed great resolve, and it all came down to the fifth and final round. Adesanya outlasted Gastelum and very nearly finished him, winning a unanimous decision in the process. He went on to beat Robert Whittaker in October of that year to claim the undisputed middleweight gold.
The African-born star got the job done against the tough Gastelum and ever since that win, the middleweight division has belonged to him. Israel Adesanya has had a truly meteoric rise to champion status.
