2018 has been a remarkable year for Israel Adesanya. He’s made his UFC debut in February and has already fought four times in the promotion, earning four wins and three performance of the night bonuses. He’s on the cusp of a middleweight title shot despite having only focused on MMA for three years and he’s (spoiler alert) a lock for Breakout Fighter of the Year. All of that has earned him the biggest opportunity of his MMA career, a fight with middleweight GOAT Anderson Silva at UFC 234.
It’s a fight with title implications on the line but it is also a fight steeped in controversy.