Under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, Israel Adesanya has shown the world why he is known as “The Stylebender.”
The New Zealand native put on a clinical display on his way to a first-round knockout victory over the number 6 ranked Derek Brunson.
From the opening bell, Adesanya took to the center of the octagon and was forced to defend the clinch immediately as Brunson shot for the takedown and secured a body lock against the cage. After a warning to Brunson for grabbing Adesanya’s shorts, referee Herb Dean separated them off the fence.
Brunson continued to press Adesanya against the fence before the Kiwi eventually managed to shake himself free.
From there it was all Stylebender as Brunson’s takedown attempts became more and more futile. Adesanya proceeded to stop the takedown before landing a knee flush to the jaw of Brunson has he attempted another.
WOW!!#UFC230 pic.twitter.com/gvHGHcC7jI
— UFC_AUSNZ (@UFC_AUSNZ) November 4, 2018
From there it was only a matter of time as Adesanya calmly picked his shots and landed a head kick to Brunson that dropped him and then another left hand, forcing Herb Dean to wave off the fight with 9 seconds remaining in the first round.
“That was about a B minus. This was a walk in the park, I mean the garden, Madison baby,” Adesanya said in the post-fight interview with Joe Rogan
“He came out patient and I forced him to be clumsy and shoot. They say I don’t have no wrestling but you soon find out.”
The win was Adesanya’s 13th KO victory and improves his record to 15-0.
After making his UFC debut in Perth earlier this year, Adesanya has now won all 4 of his fights in the UFC.
