Israel Adesanya continues to face challenges in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s middleweight division, as numerous contenders vie for a chance at his title. “The Last Stylebender” is set to defend his 185-pound title against Sean Strickland in the UFC 293 main event on Saturday at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. Adesanya steps into the Octagon with victories in four of his past five outings, while Strickland enters the fight on the back of two consecutive wins.
Adesanya’s Notable Numbers
Adesanya was born in Lagos, Nigeria on July 22, 1989, making him 34 years old. He has 16 victories by knockout or technical knockout, which accounts for 67% of his career total (24). Adesanya’s list of UFC victims includes Pereira, Paulo Costa, Robert Whittaker, Derek Brunson, and Rob Wilkinson. Of his eight other victories, 33% were by decision. Adesanya’s fastest finish to date was against Kenan Song in 2015, taking only 119 seconds to cut him down with a head kick. As a UFC competitor, he has landed 13 knockdowns, tying him for 10th place on the promotion’s all-time list. The two opponents who have defeated Adesanya, Pereira and Jan Blachowicz, boast a combined record of 37-12-1 with a .750 winning percentage.
Strickland’s Notable Numbers
Strickland was born on February 27, 1991 in Anaheim, California, making him 32 years old. He has 11 wins by knockout or technical knockout, accounting for 41% of his career total (27). His list of UFC victories includes Magomedov, Brendan Allen, Nordine Taleb, and Alex Garcia. Strickland has four other wins by submission, all via rear-naked choke, and 12 others by decision. He landed 186 significant strikes in a five-round unanimous decision over Uriah Hall in the UFC on ESPN 28 headliner in July 2021, setting a personal record. Strickland has started 79 rounds as a professional mixed martial artist, going the distance 15 times with a 12-3 record in those bouts. The combined victories of the five opponents who have defeated Strickland stand at 98, with a .797 winning percentage at 98-25.