We're taking it back to the early MMA days of the Gracies - Israel Adesanya promises a purist's fight against Jan Blachowicz

Israel Adesanya has promised a purist’s fight against Jan Blachowicz in their UFC light heavyweight title matchup at UFC 259. Adesanya asserted that he and his team plan on taking it back to the old-school MMA days of the Gracies, with an emphasis on martial arts and pure technique.

UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is set to move up to the light heavyweight division to fight its current champion Jan Blachowicz. The Israel Adesanya vs. Jan Blachowicz matchup will headline UFC 259 on March 6th, 2021. The vast majority of MMA fans and experts believe that Adesanya has the edge in technique whereas Blachowicz has the size advantage in this matchup.

In Episode 3 of the UFC 259 Embedded: Vlog Series, Israel Adesanya harked back to the old-school MMA days when members of the famed Gracie family fought and beat bigger opponents by utilizing superior martial arts skills.

In response to his head coach Eugene Bareman saying that Israel Adesanya’s matchup against Jan Blachowicz is a true challenge for all the martial arts purists to take note of, Adesanya stated:

“It is for the purists. It’s for the people who understand this game for real. This is taking it back to back in the day, you know, when the Gracies were taking on different challenges, bigger challenges, and showing them that martial arts and pure technique can win fights. So, I’m taking it back old school.” (*H/T Sportskeeda for the transcription)

Royce Gracie! The man that started it all! 🥋Have you gone back and watched UFC 1 on @UFCFightPass yet?! pic.twitter.com/tb63cAv7VJ

— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) April 24, 2020

What a fight!#UFCTampa pic.twitter.com/l6wGcFkvfb

— UFC (@ufc) October 13, 2019

In the lead-up to his UFC 259 fight against Jan Blachowicz, Israel Adesanya has consistently maintained that he hasn’t gained any weight or muscle, nor has he changed any of his training for this fight.

The Last Stylebender has suggested that he’s well aware of the fact that Blachowicz could come in quite heavier than him, which would make the Polish powerhouse the stronger fighter. Israel Adesanya does believe, however, that his martial arts technique will trump any size advantage that Jan Blachowicz has over him.

Israel Adesanya and Jon Jones – Rivals with different approaches to weight classes

Jon Jones (left); Israel Adesanya (right)

One of the biggest rivalries in combat sports over the past few years has been that of UFC middleweight kingpin Israel Adesanya and former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

Both fighters have expressed their willingness to fight one another. However, Jon Jones vacated his UFC light heavyweight title last year, and he’s expected to debut in the heavyweight division and fight for the UFC heavyweight title later this year. Jones’ approach to moving up a weight class has witnessed him bulk up and gain a significant amount of weight.

On the contrary, Israel Adesanya – who, akin to Jones, has moved up a weight class – has refrained from bulking up and gaining too much weight.