Nigeria’s Israel Adesanya who has been unbeaten in his previous 20 fights lost his first UFC fight to Jan Blachowicz through a unanimous decision (49-46, 49-45, 49-45) to retain his light heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 259.
The loss is Adesanya’s first in his professional MMA career and brings his record to 20-1 and nine-win streak in the UFC.
The Polish champion, Blachowicz (28-8) has won five in a row. He claimed the UFC light heavyweight title in beating Dominick Reyes by second-round TKO at UFC 253 in September.
Adesanya said in interview with ESPN after his defeat “It didn’t go the way I wanted, but dare to be great,”.
The critics are the ones on the sidelines, but I’m the one putting it on the line.
The first round was strictly a kick-boxing match as both fighters sized each other up with a few leg kicks with none of the punches connecting.
The 31-year-old would have become the first African-born double champion in UFC history if he records a win over the Polish Power.
