Israel Adesanya vs Kelvin Gastelum for the Interim UFC Middleweight Title... What a fight. Sometimes, it's good to watch a great fighter perform. Sometimes, it's good to watch great fights . However, nothing compares to watching two great fighters IN a great fight. That's what we witnessed in UFC236.
Perfect Dance Partners
If you were to script the perfect fight it would like something like this one. We had the drama of a see-saw battle. Both fighters getting knocked down. Both fighters almost finishing the other and fighting back from adversity.
All that was missing was the finish, which almost came at the end of the fifth round as Adesanya took control and almost got the TKO. However, for one of these fighters to have been stopped would have been an injustice as both deserved to hear the final bell.
I couldn't do justice in trying to describe the action in this one, this is one you have to go and watch. For all the excitement a "slugfest" invokes, nothing compares to two high-level elite fighters demonstrating their skills, heart, and bravery while pushing each other to the brink.
Future Gazing
So where does this fight leave Adesanya going forward? The obvious next fight is a unification of the undisputed Middleweight Title with Robert Whittaker.
It will be interesting to see how that fight goes. I still think that Robert Whitaker has too much for Israel. Everything that Gastelum brings to the table, Whitaker brings to the table and more.
This is not to say that over time Israel cannot best Whittaker.
However, as of 2019 the experience that Whittaker has gained in the UFC, fighting the toughest of fights particularly against Yoel Romero will be the decisive factor.
Seasoned Campaigner
I think the main event of UFC236, Holloway vs Poirier gives us clues on how a Whittaker vs Adesanya would look. Like Poirier, Whittaker is seasoned at the weight and it will be the weight of his strikes and durability that will see off Adesanya.
In many ways, Whittaker, Adesanya, and Gastelum are the best arguments for and against a 175 division. All three are small 185ers and could probably make 175. That would be a monstrous division. Yet all three are excelling against the bigger units at 185.
The Invisible Battle
One of the interesting subplots to the ascension of Israel Adesanya is his developing rivalry with 205 King, Jon Jones.
The talk of Adesanya squaring off with Jones is, in truth, fanciful. If anything, Jones should be looking to challenge himself at heavyweight and Adesanya, as a small middleweight could chance his arm at welterweight.
However, the battle between Jones and Adesanya is not at physical one (to my mind). It is a battle for hearts and minds.
Pound-For-Pound Rivals
Jones has for a long time been regarded as being in the conversation for the all-time, pound-for-pound, greatest fighter.
Rightly or wrongly, despite only being in the UFC for 14 months, Adesanya's style of standup fighting has seen him inserted into the conversation as a potential future all-time great.
If Adesanya can successfully navigate the murky waters of 185. If he can add victories over 185 standouts, Whittaker, Romero, Jacare, Widmen to Gastelum and Silva, the claim will be undeniable. Particularly, if he can maintain his flamboyant style and his quick turnover of fights.
Virtual Number one draw
Adesanya has an opportunity to be the number one draw in the UFC if he isn't that already.
Adesanya has the opportunity to be the real-life video game fighter that kids fantasies about being. That many thought Jon Jones would be before his career became derailed by controversy.
However, now Jones that is back in the ring he has other obstacles. He lacks a dance partner at 205 to spark the public's imagination. He has tried to manufacture a situation with Brock Lesnar in the past. That opportunity looks likely to go to Jones nemesis Daniel Cormier.
The Jones star is waning while Adesanya's is rising. I see the 'beef' between Adesanya and Jones as an attempt by the latter to clip the wings of 'upstart'. How better to put out Adesanya's flame then by smashing him in the Octagon.
Jones knows that after all his trials and tribulation. Now is the time for him to take the mantle from Conor McGregor as the flagship fighter of the UFC. He is in serious danger of being eclipsed by the young maverick in the division below.
Real life challenges
But all the Jones talk is a distraction from what was a great middleweight scrap and fight of the year contender.
The fight between Adesanya and Whittaker promises to be another classic and a mega-bout Downunder.
Given, the (relative) under-size of the top three middleweights, other contenders would fancy their chances against them. Even the likes of Anthony Smith, Luke Rockhold and Thiago Santos may consider revisiting Middleweight with their obvious size advantages.
Adesanya has a long and potentially eventual stay at middleweight as does Gastelum. I have a feeling that the pair will meet again in Octagon also. I cannot wait until they do!