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5 years ago, Adesanya made his debut in the UFC.
New Zealand professional mixed martial artist and kickboxer of Nigerian descent Israel Adesanya has cause to celebrate.
The 33-year-old Adesanya had his first encounter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) five years ago.
Adesanya made the switch from kickboxing to mixed martial arts early in his career.
However, he went through several professional organizations and eventually led him to the UFC.
After his showing at the Hex Fighting series in November 2017, Adesanya joined the UFC.
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Adesanya celebrates UFC anniversary
Adesanya got his UFC breakthrough at the 221 editions in Perth, Australia.
The New Zealand star produced an outstanding showing as he used his knees to record a technical knockout victory against Rob Wilkinson.
After defeating Wilkinson in just two rounds, Adesanya got the bonus for the performance of the night.
Since then Adesanya has fought 13 times in the UFC and become the Middleweight champion.
Adesanya took to social media to celebrate the five-year anniversary.
Along with pictures and videos from his fight was a message that said, "5 years ago I made my UFC debut right here in Perth at #UFC221.
“ What a ride it’s been so far with the highs and lows, I’m grateful for all the moments I’ve created.
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"Love me or hate me, you watched…so thank you. Stay tuned."
The message from Adesanya comes as Alexander Volkanovski takes on Islam Makhachev in Perth the venue of his first fight.
Adesanya is now expected to continue his journey in the UFC as the main event of the 287 editions in a rematch against Brazilian Alex Pereira scheduled for Miami, United States of America (USA) on Sunday, April 9, 2023.
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