Nigerian-born UFC champion, Israel Adesanya, has been officially inducted into the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Hall of Fame.
The former two-time UFC Middleweight Champion received the honour on Wednesday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, USA. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame’s Fight Wing for his unforgettable 2019 battle against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236.
In what is widely regarded as one of the greatest fights in UFC history, Adesanya defeated Gastelum by unanimous decision, landing a record four knockdowns in a title fight to claim the Interim UFC Middleweight Championship.
Other legendary bouts joining the 2025 Hall of Fame class include Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar, Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg II, and Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen.
Reacting to his induction, Adesanya said in a February interview:
“I was surprised. I was like Hall of Fame? I’m too young, but I wouldn’t fight it, I’ll accept it. If they want to honour me like that, I’ll take it. I’m very grateful.”
