Israel Adesanya may be the man for the job to halt Khamzat Chimaev’s undefeated streak in the UFC. The two men were linked to a fight in Saudi Arabia when rumors online suggested that the pair would clash in Kingdom Arena. However, the UFC and CEO Dana White later clarified that the fight wasn’t made and was a false alarm. White also took a shot at the media for reporting on the rumors by stating, “All the MMA media that ran with it are the problem. Absolute CLOWNS.”

Regardless, the possibility of a clash between the two fighters has caused a frenzy of discussion amongst MMA fans. And in a recent conversation, Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo both weighed in on who they think is the favorite in this matchup. And their remarks shed light on the challenges ‘The Last Stylebender’ can pose for ‘Borz’!

Israel Adesanya proclaimed to be a ‘dangerous’ opponent for Khamzat Chimaev 

Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo, both former champions in the UFC, have recently launched a new podcast called “Pound 4 Pound” where they provide their expert insight into MMA news, fights, and all things UFC.

As such, during a recent discussion, the conversation touched upon what would happen in a possible clash between Israel Adesanya and Khamzat Chimaev. Usman stated, “I think Khamzat is going to have a hard time with Israel’s length, to fight someone that tall, someone that sharp, some that knows how to find the angles too, just a little bit of this slide back, let you miss and…”

This prompted Cejudo to claim that Chimaev may be a difficult opponent to pin down because “…he’s weird, he’s different, he’s a wrestler, our movement’s different.” However, Usman rightfully pointed out, “But listen, I found him…”, in reference to him being able to land heavy shots on ‘Borz’ in their fight. 

Cejudo also highlighted the fact that Usman’s wrestling was a factor in the fight against Chimaev, a skill that Adesanya does not possess.

However, he also believes, “Like I’m actually, I was a big Khamzat fan, but watching him not understand his threshold is, particularly the fight with you, I’m just like, I can see Israel Adesanya actually beating him”. Ultimately, the insights provided by Usman and Cejudo shed light on the challenges Adesanya could present for Chimaev if the two were to face off in the Octagon.

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But speculation aside, ‘The Last Stylebender’ recently indicated that he has another goal in mind when he returns to the Octagon from his self-imposed hiatus!

Adesanya has his eyes set on vengeance against ‘Tarzan’  

Israel Adesanya, the former UFC middleweight champion, is seeking redemption against Sean Strickland. At UFC 293 last year, ‘Tarzan’ defeated Adesanya in an upset that left the MMA community stunned. The fight saw Strickland secure a decision win over 5 rounds and claim the UFC middleweight title. After the fight, Adesanya stated that he was planning to take a break from the sport, but he’s now ready to return to the Octagon.

During a conversation on ‘This Past Weekend’ podcast with comedian, Theo Von, Adesanya compared this pursuit for redemption against Strickland to his quest for revenge against Alex Pereira, which took six years.

He stated, “With Strickland, it won’t take me that long. Let me just get through DDP first. Let me handle… I look to the next fight. I look ahead, like a little peek at the future. But I don’t try and focus on it.” While he acknowledged the challenge posed by Strickland, ‘The Last Stylebender’ believes that he will be able to turn the tables the next time they face each other inside the Octagon!

Do you think Israel Adesanya would knock out Khamzat Chimaev if they stepped into the cage against each other? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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