50 MMA Fights You Must Watch Before You Die
8. Israel Adesanya Vs. Kelvin Gastelum - UFC 236
Leading up to their interim middleweight title fight, there was plenty of intrigue surrounding the match-up between striking sensation Israel Adesanya and gritty wrestler turned brutal knockout artist Kelvin Gastelum. With both men surging up the rankings, MMA fans were split as to who would come out victorious at the end of the night.
Although Gastelum and Adesanya had shown glimpses of greatness during their careers, they truly went to a new level when the belt was on the line. The first four rounds had both men on equal footing inside the Octagon. Gastelum surprised everyone by engaging Adesanya in the stand-up and knocking him down. However, Adesanya roared back, using his creative striking to land his own noteworthy blows.
Going into the fifth and final stanza, the fight could've gone to either man. However, it was Adesanya whose will to win was stronger as he put a savage beating on Gastelum to earn the victory, win the interim title and become a legit star in the process.