Izzy Adesanya, born Israel Mobolaji Odunayo Oluwafemi Temitayo Owolabi Adesanya, is a professional mixed martial artist and kickboxer from New Zealand. He has a background in boxing and is well-known in the sports community under the moniker “Izzy Adesanya.”
This post discusses Izzy Adesanya Early life, family, girlfriend, education, career, net worth, and other details.
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Quick Stats
| Real Name | Israel Mobolaji Odunayo Oluwafemi Temitayo Owolabi Adesanya |
| Stage Name | Izzy / The Last Stylebender |
| Date Of Birth/Age | 22 July 1989 (33 Years Old) |
| Place of Birth | Lagos, Nigeria |
| Nationality | Nigerian – New Zealander |
| Education | Chrisland SchoolsRotorua Boys’ High SchoolUniversal College of Learning, Whanganui. |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Professional Kickboxer/ Boxer |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Weight | 84 Kg |
| Height | 6ft 3inches |
| Net worth | $4 Million |
Izzy Adesanya Family
Israel Mobolaji Odunayo Oluwafemi Temitayo Owolabi Adesanya was birthed on 22 July 1989 in Lagos, Nigeria, and is the oldest of four siblings.
His father, Oluwafemi, an accountant, and his mother, Taiwo, a nurse, raised the family. In 1999, they temporarily relocated to Ghana but later settled in Rotorua, New Zealand, when Izzy was 10, to provide their children with quality education.
At 18, Adesanya became interested in kickboxing after being inspired by the movie, Ong-Bak. Three years later, he moved to Auckland, New Zealand, and trained in varied martial arts under Eugene Bareman at City Kickboxing.
Izzy Adesanya Siblings
Israel Adesanya has two brothers and two sisters, and he is the oldest among them. His siblings are Samuel Adesanya, Deborah Adesanya, David Adesanya, and Bolu Adesanya.
One of his brothers, David Adesanya, runs Israel Adesanya’s official YouTube channel and often goes by the pseudonym “Dave Blackamoto,” a wordplay on the name of ESPN interviewer Brett Okamoto.
In several YouTube videos, he humorously refers to himself as “the uncrowned featherweight champion of the world.”
Izzy Adesanya Education
After attending Chrisland School Ikeja, Israel Adesanya became involved in the school’s Taekwondo after-school club.
He later attended Rotorua Boys’ High School for his secondary education. He enrolled at the Universal College of Learning in Whanganui for his tertiary education, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Design.
Izzy Adesanya Girlfriend
Israel Adesanya has always kept his relationships private, but he may have hinted to his eagle-eyed fans about a possible romantic connection when he shared some pictures of himself with an unidentified lady.
Later, it was revealed that the woman in the photos was the well-known Australian model, Shana Evers, whom Adesanya follows on Instagram. The speculation about their relationship began after Adesanya commented and liked one of Evers’ posts in September 2021.
However, the couple has not publicly stated their relationship status. It is worth noting that Adesanya and Evers are unmarried and have no children together.
Izzy Adesanya Physical Appearance
Israel Adesanya is a tall and lean athlete with a height of 6 feet 3 inches, according to celebheights, and a weight of 84 Kg. He has a well-defined muscular build with biceps measuring 16 inches.
His body measurements are 44-32-37, indicating a well-proportioned chest, waist, and hips. Adesanya wears a UK shoe size of 12. He has striking dark brown eyes with an intense look and dark brown hair that complements his overall appearance.
Izzy Adesanya Professional Kickboxing Career
After starting his professional kickboxing career with China’s ‘Kunlun Fight promotion, Israel Adesanya joined the highly-regarded kickboxing organization Glory Kickboxing after his elimination from the semifinals of the 2014 Kunlun Fight 80 kg tournament.
In Glory, Adesanya faced off against his chief rival, Alex Pereira, and suffered two defeats. In 2016, ‘Izzy’ won the Glory Middleweight Contender tournament and went on to face Jason Wilnis for the championship, but lost the fight by a unanimous decision.
Adesanya’s final Glory fight was against the then-signed UFC champion, Alex Pereira, whom he lost to via a knockout in the final round.
Izzy Adesanya Professional Mixed Martial Arts Career
After leaving Glory kickboxing, Adesanya transitioned to MMA and fought for several promotions, including the Australian Fighting Championship.
However, the UFC was always his ultimate goal. Adesanya made his UFC debut at UFC 221 against Rob Wilkinson, where he secured a TKO victory in the second round.
Subsequently, he defeated several renowned UFC Middleweights, including Anderson Silva, which positioned him for a title shot against Kelvin Gastelum.
Adesanya displayed resilience in that fight and won the UFC Middleweight Championship unanimously.
Many fans highly regard Adesanya as the most active champion in the UFC, with an impressive record of six title defenses.
He held the Middleweight title for over three years until he lost it to Pereira in November 2022. His first title defense was against Yoel Romero, also known as “God’s own Soldier.”
Izzy Adesanya: MMA Record
Most of Adesanya’s MMA career has been with the UFC, but he also competed for smaller promotions before joining the UFC.
With a current record of 23-2, 14 of his fights have been in the UFC. Before joining the UFC, Adesanya had an undefeated record in MMA.
Izzy Adesanya Awards and Accomplishments
Adesanya has an impressive list of accomplishments throughout his fighting career, which include:
- Winning the 2016 Glory Middleweight Contender Tournament.
- Becoming a three-time King in the Ring champion with two championships at 86 kilograms.
- Winning two Cruiserweight Championships in Super 8 Boxing.
- Receiving five Performance of the Night bonuses and two Fight of the Night bonuses in the UFC.
- Winning the UFC Middleweight Championship and successfully defending it several times.
Izzy Adesanya Net Worth
At UFC 248, Israel Adesanya was the highest-paid fighter, earning a whopping $690,000 for his fight with Yoel Romero on 26 September 2020. Adesanya’s estimated net worth is around $4 million.
His fight earnings vary between $10,000 to $30,000 for lower-level fights and $500,000 to $3,000,000 for high-profile matches. His impressive record of mostly wins with few losses has helped increase his earnings.
Adesanya was the first MMA fighter to sign a sponsorship deal with Puma in September 2020 and is also a stake.com ambassador.
Izzy Adesanya Car Collection
Israel Adesanya has a car collection, including a Porsche and a Range Rover. He bought an orange McLaren 720 Spider for $315,000 as a reward to himself after defeating Robert Whittaker for the middleweight title at UFC 243 in 2019.
Izzy Adesanya Real Estate
It is uncertain whether Israel Adesanya has purchased a home in Auckland, New Zealand. However, in 2019, it was reported that he had invested in apartment blocks on Liverpool Street in Whanganui, New Zealand.
