04-14-2019, 06:48 PM
UFC 236: Israel Adesanya wins UFC interim belt
Mat Kermeen
Israel Adesanya has beaten Kelvin Gastelum by unanimous decision to lift the UFC middleweight interim belt in a fight of the year contender.
The victory sets up a dream trans-Tasman clash with reigning middleweight champion Robert Whittaker.
The 29-year-old was on the brink of stopping Gastelum in the final seconds of the fight in the co-main event of UFC 236 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
Adesanya becomes the first New Zealand based fighter to win a UFC belt.
Born in Nigeria, 'The Last Stylebender' moved to New Zealand when he was 13 and his entire fighting career has been based out of his adopted country.
"I was willing to give it all and leave it all in there.
"I'm the champion, let's go," Adesanya said immediately after the fight.
Whittaker was born in New Zealand but moved to Australia as a young child.
Whittaker pulled out of a fight against Gastelum on the eve of UFC 234 in Melbourne back in February due to a "freak" abdominal injury which could have proved fatal had he fought.
Because he has been sidelined with the injury, the fight between Adesanya and Gastelum was made for the interim title with Adesanya likely to face Whittaker next.
Mat Kermeen
Israel Adesanya has beaten Kelvin Gastelum by unanimous decision to lift the UFC middleweight interim belt in a fight of the year contender.
The victory sets up a dream trans-Tasman clash with reigning middleweight champion Robert Whittaker.
The 29-year-old was on the brink of stopping Gastelum in the final seconds of the fight in the co-main event of UFC 236 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
Adesanya becomes the first New Zealand based fighter to win a UFC belt.
Born in Nigeria, 'The Last Stylebender' moved to New Zealand when he was 13 and his entire fighting career has been based out of his adopted country.
"I was willing to give it all and leave it all in there.
"I'm the champion, let's go," Adesanya said immediately after the fight.
Whittaker was born in New Zealand but moved to Australia as a young child.
Whittaker pulled out of a fight against Gastelum on the eve of UFC 234 in Melbourne back in February due to a "freak" abdominal injury which could have proved fatal had he fought.
Because he has been sidelined with the injury, the fight between Adesanya and Gastelum was made for the interim title with Adesanya likely to face Whittaker next.