Adesanya recalls victory over Poatan and reinforces his 'salvation' of the UFC middleweight division.

Alex Poatan was knocked out by Israel Adesanya at UFC 287 (Photo: Instagram/UFC)

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Israel Adesanya believes he saved the middleweight division (up to 83,9kg) from a major problem by defeating Alex Poatan . The Nigerian faced the Brazilian at UFC 287 in 2023, and after accumulating three losses in their head-to-head matchups, managed to overcome his rival . Following the result, the Brazilian opted to move up to light heavyweight (up to 93kg), a move that, in the former champion's view, directly impacted the category's landscape.

In an interview with Full Send MMA, Adesanya stated that Poatan's victories before their fight were achieved with relative ease, highlighting the Brazilian's dominant level. The former champion also suggested that his victory prevented his rival from continuing to impose his dominance on the other athletes in the division.

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“All the fights Alex had before fighting me were easy wins because he’s simply a monster. I said the middleweights should thank me, they don’t need to, because I was talking nonsense, but yes, if it weren’t for me, he would be terrorizing this entire division, and they wouldn’t stand a chance against that son of a bitch,” said Israel Adesanya.

Israel Adesanya hasn't won since facing Alex Poatan at UFC 287.

Alex Poatan and Israel Adesanya face off in the octagon at UFC 287 (Photo: Instagram/UFC)

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After being defeated by Poatan twice in kickboxing and once for the UFC middleweight title (up to 83,9kg), Adesanya had another opportunity against the Brazilian at UFC 287 , held in April 2023 in Miami. This time, however, the outcome was different.

After struggling with low kicks in the first round and pressure at the start of the second, the Nigerian surprised everyone by landing a precise counter-punch that knocked out his rival, regaining the division title against his former nemesis.

However, since his victory over Poatan, Adesanya has not won again. The former champion has fought three more times and was ultimately defeated by Sean Strickland , Dricus Du Plessis , and Nassourdine Imavov , losing by unanimous decision, submission, and knockout, respectively.

Now, Adesanya has a new chance to return to winning ways. The Nigerian faces Joe Pyfer in the main event of UFC Seattle next Saturday (28).

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