One of the side effects of dominance is it often becomes taken for granted. It’s why moments like Chris Weidman’s knockout of Anderson Silva and Leon Edwards’ knockout over Kamaru Usman are so memorable because neither Silva nor Usman regained their belt in the immediate rematch. On the other hand, Israel Adesanya rebounded from his loss to Alex Pereira to emphatically exact his revenge at UFC 287 in April 2023 and reclaim his spot as one of the best to do it at 185 pounds.
For Adesanya, it solidified an already deified legacy as one of his era’s greatest fighters. It also extinguished one of the blemishes on his record and sent Pereira up to 205 pounds (for the time being). “The Last Stylebender” has not only maintained control over the middleweight division, but he has thwarted contenders with a frequency unmatched by his title-holding peers. Adesanya holds six wins over his division’s Top 15, more than any other champion at present. His eight title fight wins are tied for seventh all-time, and a win over Sean Strickland at UFC 293 would push him to a tie for sixth with Matt Hughes, as well as adding another Top 15 win to his resume.
Adesanya vs Strickland Stats Breakdown | Order UFC 293
The problem, then, for Adesanya, would be to find new challenges. The Nigerian-born New Zealander has made mention of only having a handful of years left in the game, and he isn’t one to sit idle, either. Since joining the roster in February 2018, Adesanya averages a little more than three fights per year, which is exceptionally active, especially for a champion.
Past Strickland, who has as much of a fighting chance as anyone, the pickings are getting slim for Adesanya. There’s a matchup with South African contender Dricus Du Plessis on the table, and it’s likely that “Stillknocks” is the next man up should Adesanya come out of Sydney victorious.
After that, however, it’s a little unclear. Other than Du Plessis and Strickland, Adesanya has wins over the rest of the Top 7 in the division. Of the Top 10, only Brendan Allen (No. 10) is coming off a win.
How To Watch UFC 293: Adesanya vs Strickland In Your Country
Roman Dolidze lost to Vettori and has a date lined up with Derek Brunson in November. Jack Hermansson is fresh off a loss to Dolidze in December 2022. So, Allen and Paul Craig, who are set to in a main event later this year, could find themselves a win away from title contention heading into 2024.
The boogeyman, of sorts, in this equation is Khamzat Chimaev. “Borz” hasn’t fought since a last-second, chaotic series of events cost him a headlining spot at UFC 279 and landed him in a bout against Kevin Holland, who he beat in half a round. Chimaev missing weight by more than seven pounds put a stain on his championship aspirations, but he’s still a must watch any time he steps into the Octagon.
He is set to fight Paulo Costa at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi, and a win against the Brazilian could be enough to push Chimaev over the line and into a title fight despite just two middleweight wins on his UFC record. Adesanya has expressed interest in the matchup should Chimaev get past Costa, so it’s something to watch if events unfold accordingly.
Some people are still clamoring for a trilogy bout between Adesanya and Pereira, but with "Poatan" in the light heavyweigh ttitle mix, it's unknown if that's a fight in play. Adesanya has challenged for the light heavyweight title before, and if double-champ status still interests him, doing so against Pereira - should the Brazilian fight and win the 205-pound title - is certainly something that would interest the middleweight champion.
Of course, it’s the fight game, and Strickland beating Adesanya wouldn’t be the most shocking result we’ve seen in the Octagon. “Tarzan” is a crafty, durable and powerful veteran of the sport who won’t be intimidated by the pomp and circumstance of fighting Adesanya in Oceania. Great fighters seem invincible until they’re not, but Adesanya’s streak of dominance is set to reach new heights should he keep the train rolling Down Under.
UFC 293: Adesanya vs Strickland took place live from Qudos Arena in Sydney, Australia on September 9, 2023. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
