Israel Adesanya regained his title by defeating long-time adversary Alex Pereira. But, how long he will be able to keep the throne this time around remains a question, as potential contenders for the throne have already made threats to the new monarch. Khamzat Chimaev is one of many who challenged Adesanya.
The much-anticipated middleweight title fight between The Last Stylebender and Alex Pereira took place tonight at the Miami-Dade Arena in Miami, Florida. Izzy finally exacted vengeance on Pereira, his greatest nemesis, in tonight’s main card battle after losing twice in kickboxing and once in MMA.
“This revenge is sweet” – Israel Adesanya after knocking out Pereira pic.twitter.com/9Nq2wnT5yI
— YabaLeftOnline (@yabaleftonline) April 9, 2023
Izzy has ruled the middleweight class since 2019. To retain his championship, the reigning champion has defeated numerous elite fighters over the last three years. Apart from him and Poatan, the current top five fighters are Robert Whittaker, Jared Cannonier, and Marvin Vettori. The Last Stylebender defeated Whittaker twice, Vettori twice, and Cannonier once.
The most pressing question is now who is worthy enough to give Izzy a solid title challenge? Khamzat Chimaev of the welterweight division already has expressed interest in fighting the Nigerian-born fighter. Borz would not go into specifics, but the Swedish fighter congratulated Adesanya on reclaiming his kingdom.
Congratulations @stylebender see you soon 🫡
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) April 9, 2023
Khamzat is also doing quite well in the UFC. The Swedish MMA fighter is still undefeated, having fought six times and winning all of them. The 28-year-old fighter defeated Kevin Holland and Gilbert Burns last year. Nonetheless, the welterweight fighter is seeking a major bout, despite his claims that elite fighters avoid fighting him on purpose.
It would be fascinating if Izzy responded to Khamzat Chimaev, however, this is unlikely given the current scenario. Adesanya knows very well how Chimaev’s style could pose problems to him, so the Kiwi could try to go for other higher-ups in the 185lb division.
Who would you like to see Israel Adesanya fight next? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section.
