8 Star-Making Performances In The UFC
2. Israel Adesanya Vs. Kelvin Gastelum
Israel Adesanya made waves in the UFC following his long-awaited entry into the organisation in 2018 after being long considered one of the greatest kickboxers in the world thanks to prolonged success in Glory.
Five consecutive wins in the space of a year later, capped off by defeating his idol Anderson Silva, and it was clear that the New Zealander had the potential to do great things in the UFC.
Despite several incredible performances in his initial stint in the organisation, including a flawless victory over perennial middleweight contender Derek Brunson, it would be a fight that Adesanya was often in danger of losing that would ultimately take him to the next level in terms of popularity.
With then-UFC Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker injured, Adesanya would face off with Kelvin Gastelum with the interim title on the line. The fight showed that both men were well-versed in all aspects of MMA in a back-and-forth battle, with the pair demonstrating resilience in spades.
Leading into the fifth round, the battered Adesanya looked at his opponent across the cage and told him that he was willing to die in pursuit of the victory. The final five minutes made clear that Stylebender's words were entirely serious as the fight reached an intensity level that would go on to earn it fight of the year accolades from a number of publications. When the judges' scorecards were revealed, Adesanya was awarded the decision, giving him his first taste of UFC gold.
Adesanya would go on to defeat Whittaker to unify the belts at UFC 243, but his legacy as a fighter that would put it all on the line in pursuit of victory had already been enshrined in his performance against Gastelum.