The light heavyweight division may have gotten another star this Saturday. Navajo Stirling, just 27 years old and only in his second UFC fight, stepped up late to win a unanimous decision over Ivan Erslan in their UFC 315 clash. “I’m gonna chin him. I’m gonna chin him early and go for the finish,” the Kiwi had said of his veteran opponent before the fight.

But the City Kickboxing fighter could not keep his promise. The first round was pretty competitive as Erslan managed to find some good shots, even as the newbie answered with sharp counters and superior volume. The second round was also pretty mixed, even as Stirling found his range. But one shot radically turned things around in the third, as he floored Erslan, who was saved from certain stoppage by the bell. And Stirling’s impressive display has made the Kiwi’s City Kickboxing teammate and mentor figure “older brother” Israel Adesanya very proud.

“Very very well composed, great composition with the hands,” ‘Izzy’ said on his official YouTube channel. “And yeah, he kept his cool even after the first round wasn’t really his best showing. He just reset, regrouped, and reavenged him. So shout out to Navajo. Another one bites the dust, climbs the ladder as he said he would. So, yeah, look forward to seeing him when he gets back.”

Adesanya and Stirling have been training together for the past few years, and the 27-year-old has said that watching ‘Izzy’s title reign and superstardom up close has prepared him for success at the highest level. Stirling has no doubt he will be a superstar. Stirling believes himself to be the next big thing, destined for superstardom, with the kind of confidence that could either see him become a superstar soon or become a laughing stock among fans.

“The way I fight is a whole lot different than any other fighter I’ve seen. I’ve watched guys in the back when I was here for Israel and I was like ‘Man, these are the guys that are above me? I’m meant to be there. I’ll pick these guys off easy.’ I always said that to myself, but now it’s I can actually live that and I can actually call these guys out and fight them today,” the undefeated light heavyweight told the UFC in an interview before the fight. And so far, he has lived up to his own hype. And while Stirling’s stock is rising,  his teammate and friend Israel Adesanya’s is tanking rapidly.

Israel Adesanya reveals who he wants to fight next

Israel Adesanya is on a three fight losing streak and dangerously close to crashing out of the top of the middleweight division. Some feel he is already washed up and doesn’t have it in him to make another title run. Adesanya disagrees, and knows what he needs to do to set things right. He wants to go back where it all went wrong, the beginning of the end if you will– he wants to rematch Sean Strickland.

“For me now, I told Hunter [Campbell], I told my coach, it’s time. I just knew. I gotta get some get-back. Strickland. I’m gonna get him back. He beat me. Whooped my ass, badly. However, Strickland has continued to talk trash about Adesanya since their fight, which has given the middleweight legend extra motivation to get some revenge. This time I’m going to come in correct,” ‘Izzy’ told Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo on their ‘Pound 4 Pound’ podcast.

Strickland, of course, utterly dominated Adesanya at their UFC 293 clash, starting the Kiwi’s slide. Since then, the former champ has lost to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305 and to surging contender Nassourdine Imavov in February via stoppages. One or two more losses, and ‘Izzy’ will be relegated to being the gatekeeper to the top of the division a la Gilbert Burns or Jaren Cannonier. But beating Strickland to avenge the worst loss of his life may just help him hang on and make another run for the title.

In an ironic twist, the rising star and the fading legend share a gym, a flag, and perhaps a destiny. Stirling, bold and hungry, wants the spotlight. Adesanya, seasoned but vulnerable, wants redemption. What do you think about Israel Adesanya’s future?