- Israel Adesanya, former UFC middleweight champion, will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame for his 2019 fight against Kelvin Gastelum, scheduled for the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
- UFC 236, where Adesanya won interim middleweight title, joins legendary bouts like Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar and Silva vs. Sonnen in 2025 Hall of Fame class.
Former two-time UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, is being honored with induction into the UFC Hall of Fame today (Thursday), as his epic 2019 clash with Kelvin Gastelum is added to the prestigious Fight Wing. The ceremony will be held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, USA.
The five-round war at UFC 236, where Adesanya secured the interim middleweight title via unanimous decision, now takes its place among the sport’s greatest bouts, joining the likes of Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar and Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen in the 2025 class.
Proceeds from the Hall of Fame ceremony will benefit the UFC Foundation, as the event continues to celebrate the sport’s most memorable figures and moments.
Reflecting on the honor when it was first announced in February, Adesanya told The Mac Life, “Very grateful. I knew that was a special fight, a special moment in combat sports history. I even said on the camera, ‘Hey Kelvin, that was us,’ because it takes two to tango. That man can salsa.”
One of the most unforgettable moments of the fight came before the final round, when a bloodied Adesanya declared, “I’m ready to die.” Speaking on that moment, he added, “That was the realest moment I think I’ve ever had in the cage. I meant every single word of it… I wasn’t scared of death. I just thought, if this is how I go out, this is how I go out but I’m going to die trying.”
UFC CEO Dana White has frequently hailed the fight as “an absolute war,” and one of the best he’s ever seen.
Gastelum, who is still competing in the UFC, also acknowledged the honor, writing on X, “This fight happened six years ago, & I still get so many callbacks and compliments… I find it funny ‘cause this feels like something that happens to old people… 13 years in this game, and people think I’m done. Far from it.”it.”
The UFC Hall of Fame, established to honor key figures and fights since the promotion’s founding in 1993, is divided into four categories: Pioneers, Modern Era, Fight Wing, and Contributors. With this induction, both Adesanya and Gastelum’s legacies are now etched into MMA history.
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