After Israel Adesanya Loses to Blachowicz at UFC 259 – Who Will The Last Stylebender Fight Next?
- Israel Adesanya came up short in his plans of becoming a champ-champ
- Adesanya always wants to be active, so what’s next for him?
- See the odds for Adesanya’s next opponent, below
Israel Adesanya already cleared out the middleweight division, so he moved up to light heavyweight to face Jan Blachowicz in the main event of UFC 259.
Adesanya was a sizeable favorite entering the fight, yet the fight did not go his way. Early on, Adesanya used his kickboxing to piece up Blachowicz. However, as the fight wore on, the extra size started to slow “The Last Stylebender” down, and Blachowicz started to use his grappling to win the fight. Now, after the loss, odds have been released on who he fights next.
Odds on Who Israel Adesanya Fights Next in 2021
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Robert Whittaker | +200 |
| Darren Till | +300 |
| Marvin Vettori | +400 |
| Paulo Costa | +600 |
| Jon Jones | +800 |
| Jan Blachowicz | +1000 |
| Kevin Holland | +1200 |
| Derek Brunson | +2000 |
All odds as of March 7
When Will Adesanya Fight Again?
Based on his career, and last year given he fought in March of 2020, it is likely he will fight at the end of the summer or in the early fight. Although he wants to fight as often as possible, it’s likely he will only fight twice in 2021, unless he makes a quick turnaround and fights in July or August which would allow him to fight again in December.
Adesanya has also made it clear he plans on defending both titles but will go back down to middleweight next time out. He has also floated out a December showdown with Jon Jones in what would be one of the biggest fights in UFC history.
Is The Jones Fight Next?
Although Israel Adesanya and Jon Jones have had a feud for over a year now, the fight will not happen next, due to Adesanya losing.
Adesanya needs to defend his middleweight title while Jones will face the winner of Stipe Miocic vs Francis Ngannou 2 on March 27 for the heavyweight belt. However, it is likely the fight will happen at some point.
What Will Jan Blachowicz Do Next?
Jan Blachowicz shocked many with the win over Israel Adesanya.
He told me before the event, win or lose he doesn’t want to return until December. Blachowicz already called for his next fight in Glover Teixeira, who deserves a title shot. The fight should happen sometime later this year after Blachowicz spends time with his family.
Who’s Next For Israel Adesanya?
Even though Israel Adesanya lost to Jan Blachowicz in his search to become a champ-champ his next move was to always go back down to middleweight.
Adesanya is much better at 185-pounds, but there is no clear No. 1 contender. Kevin Holland is fighting Derek Brunson on March 20, Darren Till faces Marvin Vettori on April 10, and Robert Whittaker faces Paulo Costa on April 17. I think Whittaker is the likely option given he is the former champ. I also expect him to beat Costa, which would set up a rematch. However, if Till wins, he is the wildcard as that would be the biggest fight and both men have called for it.
However, I think Adesanya’s next fight will be a middleweight title defense against Robert Whittaker.
Pick: Robert Whittaker (+200)
Cole graduated from Sheridan College in April of 2019 with a diploma in journalism. He now is a full-time freelance writer, focusing on MMA for sites like BJPENN, while also covering the Toronto Blue Jays as a credentialed media member. At SBD, Cole covers the four major sports and MMA.
