Israel Adesanya defends middleweight belt against Alex Poatan at UFC 281 in November

I. Adesanya and A. Poatan carry on their rivalry from their kickboxing days (Photo: Montage/SUPER FIGHTS)

Now it's official: Alex Poatán will be the next challenger Israel adesanya for the middleweight belt (up to 83,9 kg). The two face each other in the main fight of the UFC 281, on November 12th, at Madison Square Garden, in New York, in the United States. The information was confirmed through Ultimate's social networks.

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This will be the first time that Israel adesanya e Alex Poatán They face each other in MMA, but the duel marks the trilogy between them in martial arts. The two faced each other twice in professional kickboxing, with two victories for the Brazilian, the last of them by knockout.

UFC middleweight champion since 2019, Israel adesanya In addition to revenge for his setbacks in kickboxing, he is seeking the sixth defense of his division belt, in which he is undefeated. The Nigerian's only defeat as a professional MMA athlete came in his attempt to win the light heavyweight belt (up to 93 kg), in March 2021, when he ended up dominated by the then champion Jan Blachowicz.

Alex Poatán arrives for the UFC belt fight with seven professional MMA fights, with only the last three in the UFC octagon. Undefeated in the organization, the Brazilian “stamped his passport” for the title fight by brutally knocking out Sean Strickland No. UFC 276, in July.