UFC 236 Results: Okay, Israel Adesanya Is Pretty Badass

Let’s face it: sometimes, hype is just hype, and fighters that they promote as badasses more often than not get their butts kicked when it counts. Which is why, when ultra-hot striking prospect Israel Adesanya was announced as one half of the UFC 236 co-main event, and that he and TUF winner Kelvin Gastelum would be fighting for an interim middleweight belt, I was like, “Meh.”

Because really, what has Adesanya done except beat up guys who are very prone to getting hit (yes, that includes old Anderson Silva)? To me, the dude was riding that hype train for all it was worth. But with champ Robert Whittaker one ice due to leprosy, an alien xenomorph living in his bowels, and a bad case of potato famine, someone had to fight for an interim belt – right?

So Adesanya and Gastelum went at it for five rounds last night… and they fight was actually good. And even more surprising is that Adesanya proved that he’s a true badass.

I know this because Gastelum put a hurtin’ on him at various points. See the following tweets for clips.

And yet, despite getting worked just a little bit, Adesanya dished out whatever he took, and then some.

In the end, I was impressed more but what Adesanya had to go through – what Gastelum hurt him with and how the Nigerian recovered and ultimately won. That. Is. What. Being. A. Badass. Is. All. About.