UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is officially moving up to 205-pounds to challenge UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259, according to a new report.
UFC President Dana White confirmed the super fight for UFC 259 on March 6, per ESPN's Brett Okamoto.
It’ll be Champ vs. Champ at UFC 259 on March 6. Israel Adesanya (@stylebender) vs. Jan Blachowicz (@JanBlachowicz) for the 205 title, per Dana White. What happens in this one? pic.twitter.com/sdTRZ6Drnw
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) December 31, 2020
Adesanya (20-0) first captured UFC gold when he knocked out Robert Whittaker in October 2019. He's since successfully defended his middleweight title twice, taking a unanimous decision over Yoel Romero and he most recently knocked out Paulo Costa in September.
The 31-year old will retain his UFC middleweight championship according to White and in the process will attempt to be just the eighth double champion in UFC history. The feat would put Adesanya on the shortlist that includes Conor McGregor, BJ Penn, Randy Couture, Georges St-Pierre, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Henry Cejudo.
On the other side of the marquee is the UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz.
Blachowicz (27-8) knocked out Dominick Reyes at UFC 253 to capture the vacant light heavyweight title. In claiming the UFC light heavyweight title, he became the first man since 2011 to hold the undisputed belt at 205-pounds not named Jon Jones or Daniel Cormier.
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