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UFC legend Daniel Cormier claims that middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is already the best light heavyweight fighter in the world and a global superstar.
In speaking of his approval of the Kiwi fighting sensation, Cormier has compared Adesanya’s global star power to that of Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, LeBron James and Conor McGregor.
“You watch the athletes and you can tell when they jump, this guy is good, this guy is a star.
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Israel Adesanya kicks Paulo Costa during his second-round victory at UFC 253.
“It’s not like ‘oh this kid may be something in the future’, right now, he’s the man,” Cormier said at the DC and Helwani Show.
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Adesanya remains undefeated in the UFC following the second defense of his middleweight belt, where he stopped previously undefeated Paulo Costa by second-round TKO on Sunday (NZT).
“All hail the King,” Cormier said when discussing Adesanya’s masterclass victory at UFC 253 at ‘Fight Island’ in Abu Dhabi.
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Daniel Cormier says that Israel Adesanya is already the best light heavyweight in the UFC and ready to fight Jon Jones.
Adesanya has yet to have a fight above the middleweight limit in the UFC, but Cormier says he would beat everyone in the light heavyweight division and is ready to fight former champion Jon Jones.
“Paulo Costa is as good as they come and Izzy made him look like an amateur of rank … he was professional against amateur.
“It wasn’t competitive, there wasn’t a second in that fight where you thought Costa had a chance,” Cormier said.
A move to light heavyweight has often been touted for the middleweight sensation and Cormier can’t see anyone in that division who can beat the City Kickboxing fighter.
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Former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones could be a future opponent for Israel Adesanya.
When asked by his co-host of the DC and Helwani Ariel Helwani, if Adesanya beat Jan Blachowicz, who won the vacant light heavyweight belt when he beat Dominick Reyes in the co-main event at UFC 253, Cormier had no doubts.
“Izzy beats everyone. Izzy is one of the best counterattacks in the world.
“Because guess what? Izzy is the best 205 pounds in the world right now.
“After what I saw … I think Izzy is the best light heavyweight in the world right now,” Cormier said. “If he goes up to light heavyweight, he will be the champion,” Cormier said.
Cormier also suggested that Adesanya was ready to fight former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones at this point.
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Blood drips from Paulo Costa’s eye shortly before Israel Adesanya stopped him.
Adesanya’s coach at City Kickboxing, Eugene Bareman, said last year that he would be willing to fight UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic.
Adesanya’s middleweight division has a weight limit of 185lbs (83.9kg) with the light heavyweight limit at 205lbs (92.9kg).
After his demolition of Costa, Adesanya said he wanted Jared Cannonier afterwards if the American fighter could surpass former champion Robert Whittaker.
But Cormier doesn’t think there is anyone in the middleweight division who could seriously threaten Adesanya.
“How do you approach a fight with Izzy right now? How does someone approach a fight with Izzy right now?” Cormier said at the DC and Helwani Show.
“Every time we see Izzy in a fight that is competitive, we better appreciate them because they will be few and far between.”
