Two-time and current undisputed middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya has been lauded as the best champion to ever feature under the promotion’s banner, according to incoming UFC 292 headliner and bantamweight title chaser, Sean O’Malley.
Adesanya, the current and two-time middleweight champion, has been sidelined from the Octagon since April of this year, reclaiming the divisional top spot with a stunning second round KO win over arch-rival, Alex Pereira in the pair’s title rematch in Miami, Florida.
The victory kickstarted the City Kickboxing staple’s second championship run under the banner of the UFC, having dropped the middleweight throne to Brazilian knockout artist, Pereira back in November of last year at UFC 281 in Madison Square Garden.
Sean O’Malley sings the praises of middleweight kingpin, Israel Adesanya
And according to Montana native, O’Malley, Israel Adesanya is undeniably the best champion to ever compete under the banner of the UFC in the wake of his second reign as undisputed middleweight kingpin.
“Izzy (Israel Adesanya) has been the best champ UFC’s ever seen,” Sean O’Malley said on his podcast. “The amount of times he has fought consistently as a champion in the UFC is f*cking legendary. The level of competition, I feel like it’s not even comparable.”
Yet to book his return to the Octagon after striking middleweight gold for the second time, Adesanya has been pegged to headline UFC 293 in September in the promotion’s return to Sydney, Australia – in a potential grudge match against the number one ranked, Dricus du Plessis, or a title showcase with the streaking, Sean Strickland ‘Down Under’.
As for O’Malley, the Dana White’s Contender Series product is slated to headline UFC 292 in August in his first main event bout under the banner of the UFC, taking on undisputed bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling in the latter’s premiere championship fight.