UFC 281: Israel Adesanya is still a must watch fighter, but reasons why have changed

The reasons why Israel Adesanya is still a "must see" fighter have evolved.

[{"selector":"#anim-d7d9d7fd-49e2-4527-aac9-440d5854a538 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(29.9808950750314%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d52041a1-e1e0-45c4-b772-a8fa44fe23df","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3c2d366a-248f-4c5c-9a21-45bbf2ef9f02","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Israel Adesanya's fans shouldn't be hasty in labeling him "boring,"

[{"selector":"#anim-363472c0-ff53-4acd-a06c-ef4773d2f891 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(27.008079708394668%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c38ea7eb-e7b9-40d7-ac5e-a9578625f275","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2ad1315b-af43-4e32-8ee7-851e48250358","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

There there was a time, when fight fans eagerly anticipated an Israel Adesanya fight,

[{"selector":"#anim-207cc333-e793-427c-acda-d50f7c1feecf [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(27.454453304490045%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ff610a4d-329a-4ed9-a8e7-2254990b2c87","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0ace87b1-ea53-43ec-a800-96efee93fd11","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

much like they did for Anderson Silva, a former UFC middleweight champion.

[{"selector":"#anim-800bde46-2055-4a7d-bfb0-483029a1bfb4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(31.58885530996864%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ab43ffbb-dd27-4374-8cd4-9d9174fdbcc5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-08f7c8b2-fe19-4ade-95d8-3db7d1a36f77","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

There was hope that something amazing would occur inside the Octagon.

[{"selector":"#anim-9f0fb89d-ddad-4109-85ae-86972e5402c4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(27.454453304490045%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2b08b087-3719-4488-958d-f8c258383105","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-561dfa00-bb0c-4d81-9110-98ea5bf4f096","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Since October 2019, Adesanya has held the UFC middleweight championship

[{"selector":"#anim-aa4c869b-01d6-4a4f-9b77-8b22f772e508 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(27.008079708394668%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0e1f6090-a518-4ed4-820e-15ceccfa5ca7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e4427fe6-b5eb-487f-88c2-883a63c08267","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

The top middleweights on the UFC roster have had plenty of time to observe him

[{"selector":"#anim-29593904-77fc-40f3-becc-e34cc949842f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(31.58885530996864%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f386d482-8264-470e-84d9-db61f9810776","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cba1cd23-49a4-45a4-97ba-47d2eb16b456","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

and his approach thanks to that and his five title defenses.They have seen the entire tape.

[{"selector":"#anim-b6e13591-b114-4a3c-a8c1-893d1dce7b58 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(29.9808950750314%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-81c1bc86-9f9a-4ff2-bdf6-602e969008e1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-63ef4447-2422-4142-992c-eb073ad4c6bf","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

On Saturday, November 12, Madison Square Garden in New York City will host UFC 281.

[{"selector":"#anim-e3484be7-f3f3-4d99-8e4d-7ac6cb10adee [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(27.008079708394668%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-72d9b474-ddd1-4178-9a42-f0d4cefc3d14","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2c03bac8-d1a4-45bc-aaa9-29554093337c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Preliminaries on ESPNews and early prelims on ESPN+ are followed by the main card on ESPN+ pay-per-view.

[{"selector":"#anim-3ee69df3-669c-4bf4-be3a-284ae353e9f0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(29.9808950750314%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0e091260-34a8-40c0-a56f-9eae32c6557d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-58024948-8374-42bd-9f4e-247cc6e84ff5","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Man City XI vs Brentford: starting lineup and confirmed team news for Premier League today

[{"selector":"#anim-97995ba8-64ec-45ec-9d76-37de9d2f9753","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0fac9ede-ba61-45c8-a627-ee31854fda1e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 245.48616%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Watch Full Story