Israel Mobolaji Odunayo Oluwafemi Temitayo Owolabi Adesanya is a New Zealand professional mixed martial artist, kickboxer and former boxer with numerous championship in all three disciplines. He is a martial artist, currently competes in the Middleweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC Middleweight Champion.
Adesanya is globally deemed as one of the best strikers in mixed martials arts, both offensively and defensively.
Adesanya Early life;
He was born in Lagos, Nigeria, on July 22, 1989. Adesanya went to Chrisland School in Opebi and practiced Taekwondo after school until his mother asked him to stop because of an injury. He moved his family to Ghana for ten months. However, his parents wished for him and his siblings to attend a prestigious university. At the age of 10, Adesanya moved to Rotorua, New Zealand, and enrolled at Rotorua Boys’ High School.
He enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Computer Design program at the Universal College of Learning in Whanganui after finishing high school. At the age of 18, Adesanya began training in kickboxing after watching the Muay Thai movie Ong-Bak.
At the age of 21, he proceeded to Auckland, New Zealand, and started training in mixed martial arts under the supervision of Eugene Bareman at City Kickboxing, with future UFC fighters namely; Dan Hooker, Kai Kara-France and current UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski.
Adesanya Parents;
Oluwafemi Adesanya is the father of Israel Adesanya, he is an accountant by profession and the mother Taiwo Adesanya is a nurse.
Adesanya Siblings;
He has four siblings namely; Samuel Adesanya, Deborah Adesanya, David Adesanya and Bolu Adesanya.
Adesanya Achievements and Championships;
The 2017 Combat Press award for bout of the year went to Adesanya. He received accolades for 2019 Fight of the Year, 2018 Newcomer of the Year, and Male Fighter of the Year from MMA Junkie.com.
In 2019, he also received the MMA Junkie.com April Fight of the Month honor. Other honors from Combat Press.com went to Adesanya in 2018, including fighter of the year, male fighter of the year, and fighter of the year.
Adesanya Net worth;
He reportedly owns assets worth $10 million.
