Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Israel Adesanya (blue gloves) reacts to defeating Alex Pereira (red gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports

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Israel Adesanya wants to fight Khamzat Chimaev, Praises ‘Borz’ For Dominant Win Over Robert Whittaker

Israel Adesanya is in awe of Khamzat Chimaev’s performance!

Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Israel Adesanya (blue gloves) reacts to defeating Alex Pereira (red gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports

The fight game has a funny way of bringing together the most unlikely matchups. Back in the day, fighters would need months or even years to build up enough buzz for a big fight. But social media and viral moments have changed everything about how these matchups come together.

Israel Adesanya is a guy who went from being a kickboxer to becoming one of the UFC‘s biggest stars. He’s always had an eye for the right moment to make his move, and this time is no different as he is eyeing none other than Khamzat Chimaev.

Also Read: 2024 Was A Boon For These Fighters!

Israel Adesanya’s Wish For Taking On Khamzat Chimaev

The recent buzz in the MMA world centers around Khamzat Chimaev’s incredible performance against Robert Whittaker. Whittaker is the same guy who has been a nightmare for almost everyone he’s faced. But Chimaev did what nobody expected and made Whittaker tap out in the first round.

He broke Whittaker’s jaw while barely taking a scratch. The win sent shockwaves through the middleweight division, and suddenly, everyone wanted a piece of the action.

LOOK WHAT KHAMZAT DID TO ROBERT WHITAKER! 😳#UFC308 pic.twitter.com/sRnuDGUan7
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) October 26, 2024

Now, Israel Adesanya, fresh off his own recent setback against Dricus du Plessis, explained why he has got his sights set on Chimaev. In his own words, he was blown away by how Chimaev handled Whittaker.

“But, I was surprised the way Khamzat ran through Rob. That was crazy, that was like, ‘Wow.’ That made me want to fight him. I was like, ‘Okay, sh*t. This guy’s actually really, really good,” said Adesanya via FREESTYLEBENDER YT.

While this is what he was hoping to get, Israel Adesanya isn’t sitting around waiting. He’s already booked to fight #5 ranked Nassourdine Imavov in Saudi Arabia on February 1st, 2025. Imavov is on a 3-fight win streak. A win over the former 2-time middlewight champion could propel him into talks for the title shot.

Israel Adesanya to headline UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia

(Image Credits: Rich Storry – Imagn Images)

Israel Adesanya

Khamzat Chimaev

Nassourdine Imavov

Robert Whittaker

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!