Adesanya plans to move up to light heavyweight and even heavyweight.

Image Credit: UFC By: Shreya Jha

[{"selector":"#anim-cd625078-f4b2-4e24-888b-13f75bedff0e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-44d27f9c-a844-44c6-9095-d159e631e5fa","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -501.70939%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-14ca63df-681c-418c-86d0-3cbe485ea8d1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-597be11d-c863-4f49-93a8-2e419ed54e48","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 133.26873%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d57b3c2c-9648-44e8-a6fe-2fce049832fe [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(22.858170827026274%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya plans to return to light heavyweight and move to heavyweight class.

[{"selector":"#anim-59ee4042-cc26-4d02-801e-5944a6d8903b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(11.64636840616548%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a1d5d438-2c2e-44bd-9405-3a83f4030b57","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-903bac31-23fe-453f-a55d-86ffde19cf97","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -385.59428%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1b70ea65-1c01-4323-8db2-02cc19168268","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1e172638-78ce-4f68-a018-4a18881e61d9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 176.41165%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Adesanya's last fight was against Jared Cannonier at UFC 276. The nigerian sucessfully defended his middleweight title for the 5th time.

[{"selector":"#anim-d31af35f-de2f-4e1e-9470-66b285aff3ea","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1d587c9d-16e0-4551-aa5e-b4d991d3c94c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 133.26873%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f106b969-88c8-4784-ae18-5acb6d884c47","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3fbb1985-f20d-4ed8-87e1-2ea924029350","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -451.85183%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4719bc86-27e8-4f06-a3d5-fae0e2c96638 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(21.989038856416908%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Adesanya has fought outside the middleweight in UFC once. At UFC 259, he challenged then light heavyweight champion Jan Błachowicz counting as his only loss in MMA.

[{"selector":"#anim-6d79bbda-468c-40a2-bd9f-448f235f27a7 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-24.96899953598517%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c27b3d4d-7120-4b00-954a-66498a4ff741","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-813fa255-110d-4f45-aa51-da4ca9a8e87d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -392.57099%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-edaea904-0236-42fa-995a-e51c5707865d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8775334b-c8f7-43a1-9595-55a8fc752a77","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 148.45048%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] In a recent interview, Adesanya’s manager, Tim Simpson, talked about his plans to fight in the light heavyweight as he has beaten almost everyone in the middleweight.

[{"selector":"#anim-01417d7d-c0ea-4ca6-8f84-4d4191839ec3 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-19.580381330606436%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-04436932-4ccb-4e4a-9ac8-2bf930f34a86","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bed00af4-271b-4e54-9034-b13198045987","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -392.57099%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f5d5afc9-86dc-4b98-a9e3-6301d0586d82","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b535f24e-0036-4ba3-b96f-3300b191d200","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 167.39528%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] "He wants to go down as the greatest of all time in that division", stated Tim Simpson while talking about Adesanya's success in the middleweight.

[{"selector":"#anim-61c1c2ac-9182-4da8-b6f3-18165a6d8883","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3fcf9da3-de2a-4738-9644-662b80b681bd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 129.49599%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-17c29f14-43f0-4709-82a5-70f9b923cbe6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cc1bcb5d-ec29-4286-8d22-ecd1f86cd63d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -408.83368%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fd143f7a-2c64-4f9a-9cdb-63e06617cb3e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-12.86315316501858%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] "The door is open to light heavyweight and even heavyweight. You know he has had success at heavyweight in kickboxing." Simpsons further added while talking about the future plans.

[{"selector":"#anim-258f67db-c4b7-4168-ac90-c5ab285a113b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-13.583370721002495%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-62453f16-283a-42ff-8d46-60f3797c8c90","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-09e73a89-b704-49eb-ae7c-7f00b0d3814a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -392.57099%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-db85d2f4-c326-49d2-9320-556ec58ce0cf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-697e733f-0b49-4337-8945-a6150db68679","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 178.87068%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-902f1468-378a-4ce8-8759-4170b2263d08","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-45561048-09f3-4e91-bb85-8a115c7b9f54","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -100.1672%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Adesanya's next challenger is Alex Pereira, whom he will fight on November 12th. Pereira has a 3-0 record since his UFC debut last year.

[{"selector":"#anim-037b1ac7-721b-4e26-a6d8-22ff5de33565 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(20.138949738640815%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2222e2fe-6b08-4f15-b264-1aa3e1413477","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2cd3fcbe-0fc3-439c-91bb-04ddd21191e6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 133.26873%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-09d21e40-0e37-4723-92cd-e11a04686a76","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e494d1aa-c6ed-4573-9162-c8680daf31a7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -450.49127%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Pereira has beaten Adesanya twice in their kickboxing days. It presents an opportunity in front of Adesanya to settle the past scores and go down as the middleweight GOAT.

Adesanya plans to move up to light heavyweight and even heavyweight.

Read more about this story

“He Wants to Go Down as the Greatest of All Time”- Israel Adesanya Still Plans to Win Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight UFC Title Despite the Jan Blachowicz Loss