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The Only Time Israel Adesanya Has Been Knocked Out

The Only Time Israel Adesanya Has Been Knocked Out

The UFC middleweight champion in undefeated in UFC but he lost during his kickboxing career and his final fight ended with a KO.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

Israel Adesanya has never tasted defeat in UFC or MMA but in his previous career as a kickboxer he lost on five occasions, and was even knocked out once.

Last month the New Zealander became the undisputed UFC middleweight champion when, as interim champion, he beat champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 243, with a second round stoppage.

It took the 'Last Stylebender's' MMA record to 18-0, which includes a perfect 7-0 record since he debut in UFC at UFC 221 in February last year.

However as a kickboxer Adesanya has tasted defeat and on his last appearance he was knocked out by Alex Pereira, when fighting on Glory of Heroes 7, in 2017.

The Nigerian born fighter started his career as a kickboxer in September 2011 and won his first five fights, before suffering his first and second losses in back-to-back fights in 2014.

He then went on a tear winning his next 12 fights and won the King of the Ring 86 Cruiserweights Tournament twice and the heavyweights tournament once.

His winning run was ended by Brazilian Pereira at Glory of Heroes 1 in 2016 but he then won another six fights in a row, capturing the Glory Middleweight Championship.

The 30-year-old finished his kickboxing career before moving into MMA full time with a final two defeats. He lost to Jason Wilnis at Glory 37 before failing to get revenge of Pereira in his only KO loss.

Adesanya also has a 5-1 professional boxing record but despite Conor McGregor's switch to the 'sweet science,' and potential moves for Jorge Masvidal and Stipe Miocic, the middleweight champion won't be joining the move.

Speaking recently the New Zealander said, "This [UFC] is where I'm going to end my career. People say, 'oh, after UFC, you can go to boxing and have one super fight maybe with Canelo and make a hundred million.

"I'm like, I can do that in the UFC. I might be the first fighter to do that in the UFC.

Will anyone in UFC come close to giving Adesanya his second ever KO loss?

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Topics: kickboxing, Jon Jones, Robert Whittaker, UFC News, MMA News, UFC, MMA, Darren Till, Israel Adesanya