3 Reasons You Should Be a Fan of UFC Middleweight Champ Israel Adesanya

The headlining bout at UFC 248 features Nigerian-born New Zealand fighter Israel Adesanya defending his UFC middleweight title belt and his unblemished 18-0 MMA record against Yoel Romero in Las Vegas. If "The Last Stylender" wins, he'll be one step closer to realizing his potential as one of the biggest, most entertaining global stars in all of combat sports -- but even if he loses, his life is still worth following, as these three aspects of Adesanya's career make clear.

3. He's Excelled As a Dancer, Boxer, and Kickboxer

Adesanya laying into Robert Whittaker / Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

A former Taekwondo practitioner and dancer, Adesanya made the move to kickboxing after being inspired by a movie at the age of 18. He went 75-5 as a kickboxer, winning several New Zealand championships. At the same time, he dabbled in boxing, winning five fights in 2015 after losing his first. He then quickly made the jump to MMA, where he has gone 18-0 and already a title belt to his name. That's quite the run for someone who just turned 30.

2. He's Willing to Fight the Best

Adesayna wants to fight Jon Jones / Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Adesanya could have taken a few easy fights after beating Robert Whittaker for the middleweight belt, but he only wants to take on the elites. The Romero fight speaks to that notion, as does his obsession with moving up a weight class to take on UFC pound-for-pound king Jon Jones -- or up two weight classes to fight heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic. These ought to be considered fool's errands for most mortal men, but if anyone has the sheer talent and audacity to engineer a stunning upset, he's the one.

1. "The Last Stylebender" Is Already an Elite Showman

Nicknamed "The Last Stylebender" after his love for Japanese anime, specifically "Avatar: The Last Airbender," Adesanya's style and showmanship are already up there with the best, as best proven by his jaw-dropping walkout before the Whittaker fight. In the ring, he switches between an excellent ground game, terrific defense, and a powerful upright boxing style so fluidly that you may as well be watching artistry in the Octagon. Win or lose, even a casual MMA fan has to feel a certain thrill watching Izzy.