Isreal Adesanya Loses To Jan Blachowicz In Light Heavyweight Title Bid

 

It was an end of unbeaten reign for Isreal Adesanya, whose bid for the light heavyweight title was lost to defending champion Jan Blanhowicz in a unanimous decision 49-45, 49-45, 49-46.

Adesanya was set for his fifth victory in a row, rather the brilliance of Blanhowicz saw his tactics crumbled, and endured series of hard-landing shots to the face. 

Blanhowicz was able to take Adesanya down in the first two rounds before staging an offensive in the third when his hard-landing shots rightfully caught Adesanya's chin.  That was the moment that sent the shockwave down the Nigerian-New Zealander's spin and his defeat was ascertained. 

"I was rooting for him and he did a great job," said Blanhowicz with an admission that Adesanya is a great fighter in the Octagon. "Now I think I deserve some respect. I'm the true champion right now."

The defeat snapped Adesanya's unbeaten run of 20-0 denying him the bid to add a light heavyweight belt to the one he already has, the middleweight title. Meanwhile, the Polish fighter retained unbeaten for the 12th consecutive fights.