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Story: Martial arts

Israel Adesanya

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Israel Adesanya

Nigerian-born New Zealander Israel Adesanya (right) lands a punch on New Zealand-born Australian Robert Whittaker during their UFC middleweight title bout in Melbourne on 6 October 2019. Adesanya won by a knockout, becoming the first New Zealander to hold a UFC title. In March 2021 he suffered his first defeat in 21 UFC bouts, losing on points to Jan Blachowicz in a fight for the vacant light-heavyweight title.  Adesanya lost the UFC middleweight title in November 2022, regained it in April 2023, but lost it again in September 2023. 

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Bronwyn Dalley, Martial arts – Martial arts from the 1970s, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/47305/israel-adesanya (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Bronwyn Dalley, published 5 March 2020, updated 27 January 2015.