Israel Adesanya has successfully defended his UFC middleweight title after defeating Italian contender, Marvin Vettori, at the Gila River Arena in Arizona on Sunday.
The match, a second meeting between both fighters, saw Adesanya win via unanimous decision 50-45, 50-45, 50-45.
Adesanya defeated Vettori by split decision, a close fight that was one of Adesanya’s most difficult en route to the title.
Vettori believed he won that bout, which was the storyline coming into Sunday’s fight.
Adesanya first defeated Vettori in April 2018.
Both fighters were vicious in verbal attacks on Thursday at the prefight news conference.
Vettori had to be physically removed from the stage after he went after Adesanya.
The fight with Vettori was Adesanya’s third title defence after losing to Jan Blachowicz in a bid to add the light heavyweight title to his laurels.
The Nigerian has now won 10 straight UFC middleweight fights, the second-longest streak in division history.
He is behind Anderson Silva’s 13. His fifth title win is also second at middleweight to Silva’s 11.
The style bender dedicated his Sunday win to his late training partner and friend, Fau Vake, who died last month from injuries he suffered in an alleged assault.
Source: pmnewsnigeria