The Scrap’s 2019 Fight of the Year: Israel Adesanya vs. Kelvin Gastelum
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Kelvin Gastelum was originally set to meet Robert Whittaker at UFC 234 when just hours before the event, the Aussie was pulled from the bout due to health concerns.
Whittaker had been on the shelf for over a year and the promotion decided it was time to make an interim title for the middleweight division.
UFC 236 featured not one, but two interim title fights. Max Holloway went up a weight class to battle Dustin Poirier in a failed attempt to become champ-champ. Also on the card, Kelvin Gastelum finally got his shot at the belt when he stood toe to toe with the surging Israel Adesanya.
Adesanya went into the fight as the favorite with oddsmakers. Though, just a few minutes into the match, Gastelum showed he was a live dog. Gastelum dropped Adesanya and was the first person to do so since The Style Bender’s kickboxing days. Adesanya fought through the adversity and showed his durability in the process.
#AndNew!!
🇳🇬 @Stylebender gets it done! #UFC236
(@Cinemax) pic.twitter.com/Wo5K0hT1r4
— UFC (@ufc) April 14, 2019
That first-round set the pace for the next four. For 25 minutes both men battled back and forth. It was a close fight and going into the fifth, the judges had it scored two rounds for each man. The fifth round saw Adesanya dig deep.
“I’m not one to quit. I’m strong mentally, I’m bulletproof in the brain, and I’m f**ked in the head a little bit. I just knew you’re not going to break me. That was some movie type shit.”
After four tight rounds, Adesanya came out a man possessed. He out-landed Gastelum 3-1 in strikes that round. Adesanya also dropped his opponent multiple times. As if the fight wasn’t enough of a melee, Adesanya also found time to go for two submissions in the final five minutes.
The contest ended with Adesanya landing elbows on a grounded Gastelum and Joe Rogan calling for the ref to stop the fight from the broadcast booth.
It was a war of attrition that showed the heart and toughness of both men. It was slugfest where the competitors swapped strikes and each had glaring moments.
It’s The Scrap’s 2019 Fight of the Year and one that won’t be soon forgotten!
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