Isreal Adesanya to be inducted into UFC Hall of fame

 

Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame today (Thursday) as his unforgettable 2019 clash with Kelvin Gastelum earns a place in the prestigious Fight Wing. The ceremony will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, USA

The five-round battle at UFC 236, where Adesanya claimed the interim middleweight title via unanimous decision, now joins legendary bouts like Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar and Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen in the 2025 Hall of Fame class.

All proceeds from the induction ceremony will go to the UFC Foundation, as the event honors iconic figures and moments in the sport’s history.

Reacting to the news 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 fight’s most iconic moments came before the final round, when Adesanya, bloodied but determined, declared he was ready to die in the octagon. Reflecting on that moment, he said, “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 repeatedly praised the bout, calling it “an absolute war” and one of the greatest fights he’s ever witnessed.

Gastelum, who remains active in the UFC, also paid tribute to the fight on social media, posting 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.”

The UFC Hall of Fame, which recognizes key figures and contests dating back to the organization’s founding in 1993, includes four wings: Pioneers, Modern Era, Fight Wing, and Contributors. With their induction into the Fight Wing, both Adesanya and Gastelum’s legacy in MMA is now officially cemented.