Israel “The Last Stylebender” Adesanya is once again the UFC Middleweight Champion following his spectacular knockout victory over bitter rival Alex Pereira at UFC 287 on 9th April 2023 in Miami, Florida. The iconic performance was just the latest in a long career of iconic moments that the fighter often describes as being deeply inspired by anime shows.
Adesanya’s conquest of such a seemingly insurmountable obstacle as Poatan “Hands of Stone” Pereira was a testament to the heroic spirit that has come to characterize Israel’s journey. In honor of his victory, here are some of the fighter’s most iconic moments that drew inspiration from anime.
5Akatsuki (vs. Paolo Costa)
In September 2020, Stylebender was summoned to face undefeated Brazilian powerhouse Paolo Costa. The two fighters had exchanged many insults in the lead-up to the fight, which took place under quarantine conditions in Abu Dhabi. At the pre-fight press conference, Adesanya donned the iconic Akatsuki red cloud pattern on his t-shirt.
Inspired by theNarutoseries, Adesanya would later claim that it was thanks to hisSharingan visionthat he was able to avoid Costa’s punches and land his own blow, which would score him the knockout victory and hand Costa his first defeat in Mixed Martial Arts. The victory was highly significant as it represented a ‘clean sweep’ of the divisions top 5 ranked opponents, cementing Stylebender as the undisputed champion and a class above his rivals.
4Death Note (vs. Robert Whittaker)
In October 2019, Adesanya traveled to Australia to face against then-reigning Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker. When the pair were in the octagon, with Bruce Buffer announcing their names, records, etc., Adesanya pulled an imaginary notebook from his back pocket and scribbled Whittaker’s name down, signifying his imminent demise in atribute to the animeDeath Note.
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Stylebender would go on to win the bout by knockout with a spectacular right hook that caught the Australian on the chin, handing the title to Adesanya and beginning one of the most impressive title reigns in UFC history.
3Reaper Death Seal (vs. Robert Whittaker)
During his walkout to the arena to face Whittaker, Adesanya had a pre-choreographed dance prepared, one which included the Reaper Death Seal hand signs fromNaruto. In the anime, these ‘death seal’ hand signs are created by theUzumaki clanto call upon the power of the great Shinigami King. It seems as though Adesanya endowed himself with a similar power, as by the end of the bout his opponent, nicknamed “The Reaper” was knocked unconscious.
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The pre-fight antics were more than simply a performance act for the crowd. It is more than likely that Adesanya uses these pre- and post-fight rituals as part of extensive visualization, to build a clear image of the result he desires before manifesting it to reality, as many athletes do in their respective sports.
2Rock Lee Stance (vs. Anderson Silva)
On his way to capturing the Middleweight title, Adesanya would have to face former Champion Anderson Silva, widely regarded as one of the greatest martial artists of all time, and a very influential mentor to Adesanya as a young fighter. During the pre-fight face off, Silva stood with arms folded, seemingly unimpressed with his opponent, when Stylebender struck a counter-pose in theRock Lee stancefromNaruto.
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During the fight, the opportunity presented itself for Israel to strike the pose once more at the end of one round. He would go on to win the fight by decision in a great display of respect and sportsmanship between the two highly technical and skilled competitors. Adesanya would later compare the fight to that of Rock Lee vs. Gaara, and believed that these poses reflected this.
1Archer (vs. Alex Pereira)
A seven-year rivalry that had crossed over two different sports, Adesanya versus Pereira is truly a sporting story that seems like it was written by an anime scriptwriter. Having failed to defeat Pereira in twokickboxing matches, and losing the second one by KO, Adesanya transitioned to MMA where he found great success and climbed the ranks of the prestigious UFC, eventually becoming champion. During his reign, however, the UFC signed Alex Pereira, the fearsome Amazonian tribesman with some of the most devastating and brutal knockouts ever seen in combat sports. Alex ‘Poatan’ (Hands Of Stone) Pereira is known to be an enthusiastic andhighly skilled archer, and his typical ring-walk features a gesture in which he fires an imaginary arrow toward his opponent in the ring.
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Their first meeting in the UFC took place in November 2022, ended in a TKO win for Pereira, who rallied in a fight which had been largely dominated by Adesanya. The rivalry did not end there, however, with the two exchanging mockeries and insults as they prepared for a rematch. Having lost now three times in a row to the same opponent, it was a do-or-die moment for Adesanya, who had to win the fight and had to do it convincingly.
The Last Stylebender truly lived up to his name on 8th April 2023, when he delivered a stunning knockout over Pereira and reclaimed his Middleweight title. Standing over the unconscious body of his great rival, Adesanya drew an imaginary bow and fired three arrows into the slain beast, before snapping the bow and walking off to continue his post-fight celebrations. Though the fight and the gestures were more personal between the two, rather than explicitlyanime-inspired, the fight was comparable to Archer versus Gilgamesh inFate/Stay Night, as this seemingly insurmountable obstacle was overcome by a display of immense mental fortitude.
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