Tag: Israel Adesanya

Reinier De Ridder Targets Adesanya vs. Imavov Winner, Calls Out Khamzat and Whittaker

Reinier De Ridder Targets Adesanya vs. Imavov Winner, Calls Out Khamzat and WhittakerJust two fights into his UFC tenure and Reinier de Ridder is ready for one of the big guns….

Reinier De Ridder Targets Adesanya vs. Imavov Winner, Calls Out Khamzat and Whittaker

Just two fights into his UFC tenure and Reinier de Ridder is ready for one of the big guns.

The former two-division ONE world champion secured a dominant win over Kevin Holland at UFC 311 in Los Angeles, moving to 2-0 inside the Octagon.

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While he is yet to break into the middleweight rankings, that isn’t stopping ‘The Dutch Knight’ from aiming for one of its highest-ranking contenders. During his appearance at the post-fight press conference on Saturday, De Ridder called for a clash with either Robert Whittaker or the next man in line for a shot at the 185-pound crown, Khamzat Chimaev.

‘RDR’ also left the door open for a potential scrap with the winner of next month’s middleweight clash between Israel Adesanya and Nassourdine Imavov.

“Khamzat and Whittaker,” De Ridder, 34, said. “Khamzat will be cool for a grapplers’ matchup, would be cool for all that he’s done. Please, I hope they give me this, it would be amazing. I can be ready as soon as they are. Israel and Imavov will fight soon, as well, one of them would work, too. I can be back in the gym next week.”

Reinier de ridder may be aiming a little too high for his third UFC appearance

Adesanya vs. Imavov will headline the UFC’s return to Saudi Arabia on February 1. As for Chimaev, the undefeated Chechen monster is tipped to take on the winner of UFC 312’s main event rematch between defending middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland.

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Overall, Reinier de Ridder is 19-2 in his mixed martial arts career, both of his losses coming against ONE Championship’s former three-division titleholder Anatoly Malykhin. De Ridder surrendered both the ONE light heavyweight and middleweight titles to the Russian juggernaut before exiting the promotion in pursuit of UFC gold.

What’s next for De Ridder is anyone’s guess, but following his dominant performance in Los Angeles, it’s clear that fight fans are excited to see just how far the Dutchman can go on MMA’s biggest stage.

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Israel Adesanya On How Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan Will Play Out At UFC 311: ‘Going To Be WrestleMania’

Israel Adesanya believes that fight fans are in for a grappling-heavy main event this weekend at UFC 311. At the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, lightweight champion Islam Makhachev will face top contender Arman Tsarukyan in a rematch of their first encounter in 2019. With Tsarukyan making his UFC debut in their previous meeting, what […]

Israel Adesanya believes that fight fans are in for a grappling-heavy main event this weekend at UFC 311. At the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, lightweight champion Islam Makhachev will face top contender Arman Tsarukyan in a rematch of their first encounter in 2019.

With Tsarukyan making his UFC debut in their previous meeting, what surprised so many fans is that he was able to compete with Makhachev in the grappling exchanges which very few have been able to do even if he wasn’t able to secure the win. Both men do their best work on the ground but the biggest difference heading into their second bout is the significant improvements that they have made on the feet over the past few years.

The challenger has shown that he is a dangerous striker with a wide kicking arsenal in particular which allows him to control the range and keep opponents guessing. His knockout over Beneil Dariush showed that he is able to get the job done without needing to get hold of his opponent to drag them to the canvas.

Makhachev, on the other hand, has a simple but effective style which has led to him having a lot of success with his boxing, particularly in his last fight against Dustin Poirier where he won a lot of the exchanges against “The Diamond”.

When breaking the fight down on his YouTube channel, the former two-time middleweight champion acknowledged how both of them have evolved into well-rounded mixed martial artists though it still seems likely that they will look test each others grappling once again. “The Last Stylebender” thinks that regardless of the fact that both men are confident strikers, they will revert to type in this matchup.

“His striking is looking way more comfortable lately, way more polished. Arman as well… He’s got nice kicks, good hands, very explosive. But yeah, it’s gonna be a wrestling fight. It’s gonna be WrestleMania.”

Robert Whittaker Leaves Door Open To CKB Return After Training With Israel Adesanya: ‘Maybe We Can Work Something Out…’

It seems that former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker’s visit to City Kickboxing might not have been a one-off. Fans witnessed a good sight this week when Israel Adesanya took to Instagram to reveal he’d been training with Whittaker at the Nigerian-New Zealander’s gym in Auckland. The pair haven’t always seen eye to eye and […]

It seems that former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker’s visit to City Kickboxing might not have been a one-off.

Fans witnessed a good sight this week when Israel Adesanya took to Instagram to reveal he’d been training with Whittaker at the Nigerian-New Zealander’s gym in Auckland.

The pair haven’t always seen eye to eye and were regarded as rivals owing to their two showdowns inside the Octagon, both of which were won by “The Last Stylebender.”

But with the possibility of a trilogy appearing slim following recent results, the pair have put any and all animosity behind them and linked up within the walls of New Zealand’s renowned gym.

And the catalyst for that was evidently Whittaker, who explained to The New Zealand Herald the decision to expand his training horizons in the new year in order to evolve as a fighter.

“We came to the conclusion we needed more bodies, we wanted to experience new training styles, and we started looking at our options,” Whittaker said. “We were looking all over the world; definitely, there’s training out there in the States…but (like) a flash of lightning, (I thought), ‘CKB’s just across the lake – it’s practically home – why don’t we contact them, head over, meet the boys, see if it works, then maybe we can work something out and try form a good relationship.’

“There is no way I thought we’d be here breaking bread, you know? But here we are, the world’s a funny place,” Whittaker remarked about training with Adesanya. “I’m happy for it because, just being open to ideas, to broadening horizons, I’ve met some new boys, I’m getting some new work out of it, and it just keeps things fun; keeps things interesting.”

Work with an elite name like Whittaker could come in handy for Adesanya, who is just weeks out from his first assignment of 2025.

After bringing his year-long break from the sport to an end with an unsuccessful title challenge against Dricus Du Plessis last August, “The Last Stylebender” will return to non-title and non-PPV competition when he headlines UFC Saudi Arabia against Nassourdine Imavov on February 1.

“The Reaper,” meanwhile, is without a date for his next outing in the calendar. He most recently fell to a brutal first-round submission at the hands of Khamzat Chimaev three months ago.

‘Hell Yeah, We Got Goku & Vegeta’ – Fans React As Israel Adesanya Teams Up With Two-Time Rival Ahead Of UFC Return

Israel Adesanya is pulling out all the stops for his next fight, even if it means joining forces with a former rival to sharpen his skills. Adesanya finds himself navigating the toughest stretch of his career to date, with just one win in his last four Octagon appearances. Currently on a two-fight losing streak, he […]

Israel Adesanya is pulling out all the stops for his next fight, even if it means joining forces with a former rival to sharpen his skills.

Adesanya finds himself navigating the toughest stretch of his career to date, with just one win in his last four Octagon appearances.

Currently on a two-fight losing streak, he first suffered a unanimous decision loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September 2023, a fight where he also relinquished his middleweight crown. The downward trajectory continued at UFC 305 last August, where reigning champion Dricus Du Plessis handed him a submission defeat, deepening the slump for the once-dominant fighter.

“The Last Stylebender” is now gearing up to headline UFC Saudi Arabia, where he will face Nassourdine Imavov on Feb. 1 at the anb Arena in Riyadh. This highly anticipated showdown marks a notable change for the ex-champ, as it will be his first non-pay-per-view bout since July 2018.

With the fight just under a month away, Adesanya’s preparations are in full swing. In a surprising turn, he has brought in his former two-time adversary, Robert Whittaker, to assist with his training.

The 35-year-old Nigerian-born Kiwi recently shared several photos and videos from his sparring sessions with “The Reaper” on social media.

“‘New year, new friends,” Adesanya wrote on X.

MMA fans responded to Adesanya’s sparring session with Whittaker, with many humorously celebrating the unexpected collaboration between the two fighters.

Adesanya and Whittaker first squared off at UFC 243 in October 2019, where “The Last Stylebender” clinched a stunning second-round knockout to seize the undisputed middleweight title.

Meanwhile, their second encounter took place at UFC 271 in February 2022, where the matchup was far more competitive. Despite Whittaker’s resilience, though, Adesanya ultimately gritted through the challenge and earned a hard-fought unanimous decision victory to retain his championship.

UFC’s Caio Borralho on the Key to Success: ‘I’ll Be a Forever White Belt’

UFC's Caio Borralho on the Key to Success: ‘I’ll Be a Forever White Belt'Rising middleweight contender Caio Borralho believes the key to his success has been to always remain a white belt….

UFC's Caio Borralho on the Key to Success: ‘I’ll Be a Forever White Belt'

Rising middleweight contender Caio Borralho believes the key to his success has been to always remain a white belt.

Of course, Borralho is a black belt in BJJ and even a former national judo champion, but mentally, ‘The Natural’ believes it’s important to always continue learning, no matter how experienced one becomes in a specific art.

“You are like a forever white belt, you know? Sometimes people think they’re already black belts, and they stop learning in this process,” Borralho said during an appearance on Submission Radio. “I don’t want this to happen to me, so I’ve been searching for the best training.”

It seems as though Borralho’s approach has been working quite well. Thus far, he is 7-0 inside the Octagon with his biggest wins coming against Arman Petrosyan, Paul Craig, and most recently, Jared Cannonier. Those victories have thrust the Brazilian into the No. 6 spot in the middleweight rankings and potentially one impressive showing away from his first UFC title opportunity.

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Caio Borralho reveals why his rumored fight with Israel Adesanya never materialized

After his decision victory over Cannonier, Borralho was hoping to bag himself a big fight with former two-time titleholder Israel Adesanya. Unfortunately, ‘The Last Stylebender’ chose to throw hands with Nassourdine Imavov who sits one spot higher on the middleweight rankings than Borralho.

“I think the UFC offered Izzy two fights: me or Imavov,” Borralho said on the Overdogs Podcast. “And then, he suddenly posted a clip studying Imavov’s tape, and I was like, ‘Come on, bro.’ I sent a message to Izzy, and was like, ‘Bro, why you choosing that?’

“He was like, ‘Bro, we’re going to fight next year. We’re going to dance next year for the belt.’ It’s OK, I respect you if you choose that. I think he chose right. I think Imavov is a better fight for him, and I think Izzy is the favorite in this fight.”

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There’s always the chance that Borralho could be matched up with fourth-ranked contender Robert Whittaker in 2025, or even face the winner of face the winner of Adesanya vs. Imavov.

Either way, ‘The Natural’ will look to make the biggest statement possible in his next outing and establish himself as a legitimate contender to the coveted middleweight crown.

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Caio Borralho Reveals Message From Israel Adesanya About 2025 Fight

Following his win over Jared Cannonier in August, Caio Borralho has been waiting on a huge fight for his next outing. The #6-ranked middleweight has won seven fights in a row since debuting in the Octagon in April of 2022. It appeared for a brief moment that the Brazilian might be being lined-up for arguably […]

Following his win over Jared Cannonier in August, Caio Borralho has been waiting on a huge fight for his next outing. The #6-ranked middleweight has won seven fights in a row since debuting in the Octagon in April of 2022.

It appeared for a brief moment that the Brazilian might be being lined-up for arguably the biggest fight in the division outside of fighting for the title. He had expressed interest in facing former champion Israel Adesanya following his loss at UFC 305 and it seemed like this option was being presented to “The Last Stylebender”.

Several months later it was announced that Adesanya will be headlining the UFC’s return to Saudi Arabia on February 1 but it will be against the contender that is one spot higher than Borralho in the rankings, France’s Nassourdine Imavov. During a recent appearance on the Overdogs Podcast, the Fighting Nerds stand out spoke about this fight and gave his thoughts on how it all played out.

“I think the UFC offered Izzy two fights: me or Imavov,” Borralho said on the Overdogs Podcast. “And then, he suddenly posted a clip studying Imavov’s tape, and I was like, ‘Come on, bro.’ I sent a message to Izzy, and was like, ‘Bro, why you choosing that?’

“He was like, ‘Bro, we’re going to fight next year. We’re going to dance next year for the belt.’ It’s OK, I respect you if you choose that. I think he chose right. I think Imavov is a better fight for him, and I think Izzy is the favorite in this fight.”

Adesanya said a similar thing during a recent YouTube video where he said that though Imavov was the only name that he was offered, Borralho was a name on his radar that he would have accepted if this fight was presented instead. “The Last Stylebender” referenced the message that he sent him, saying that he respects Borralho for wanting to test himself.

Borralho also weighed in with his thoughts on the fight that has been booked for February 1, giving the former champion an advantage when it comes to the five-round duration.

“Imavov, I think he’s good and all that, but I don’t think he has the cardio for five rounds,” Borralho said. “I don’t think he has the best mentality for five rounds. He gets frustrated a lot into the fight, and he fought a three-round fight with Brendan Allen in Paris and it was like a boring fight.

“They were tired since the first round, and I think if he does the same thing with Izzy, Izzy is going to pick him apart. I think he’s good at fighting guys that are shorter than him. I don’t think he’s good when he’s fighting guys who are taller than him.”