Israel “The Last Stylebender” Adesanya has cemented his legacy as one of the most brilliant and dominant striking specialists to ever grace the UFC Octagon. His rivalry with Alex Pereira—a saga spanning two sports and multiple championships—is already legendary. Yet, as Adesanya recently disclosed, the true catalyst for his pivot from kickboxing to MMA wasn`t the famed knockout loss to Pereira, but rather an earlier, deeply contentious decision loss that left him feeling institutionally betrayed.
Adesanya, known for his ability to maintain a grudge with theatrical flair, recently opened up during a Q&A session in Thailand, reflecting on the sour note that preceded his spectacular rise in the UFC. The lingering bitterness stems from a 2017 Glory middleweight title challenge that ended not with a stunning finish, but with a frustrating unanimous decision against the then-champion, Jason Wilnis.
The Allegation of Institutional Bias in Glory Kickboxing
Before becoming a household name and reigning UFC Middleweight Champion, Adesanya was grinding through the elite ranks of professional kickboxing. His second-to-last bout in the Glory promotion was his biggest opportunity: a shot at the 187-pound title. He delivered a performance that, to many observers, seemed worthy of the gold. However, the judges saw it differently, awarding the victory to the incumbent, Jason Wilnis, a Dutch athlete competing for a globally dominant, but Netherland-based, promotion.
“With Glory though, I just felt they screwed me out of a world title because they wanted the Dutch guy to win,” Adesanya stated candidly. “So, yeah, that just made me really salty and you know me, I’m a petty guy, so I hold grudges.”
This accusation of a “crooked” decision highlights a crucial point in a combat sport where subjectivity governs scoring: the perception of favoritism, especially for a promotion`s home-country fighter, can be as damaging as the loss itself. For a fighter of Adesanya`s caliber, who prided himself on stylistic dominance, a loss rooted in what he perceived as administrative bias was apparently far more infuriating than a clean knockout.
The Butterfly Effect: MMA`s Gain
It is here that the concept of a career-defining moment, steeped in controversy, truly takes hold. Had Adesanya received the nod that night in Los Angeles, he would have become the Glory Middleweight Champion. Logically, a long title reign would have followed, tying him to the kickboxing promotion and delaying, potentially indefinitely, his shift to Mixed Martial Arts.
Instead, feeling wronged, “The Last Stylebender” departed Glory the following year. The timeline is undeniable: he signed with the UFC shortly thereafter and made his debut in February 2018. The result? Two championship reigns, a nearly flawless record at 185 pounds, and millions in earnings. It’s an interesting, slightly ironic twist of fate that being “screwed” out of one world title immediately paved the way for him to secure another, far more lucrative one.
Adesanya later softened his tone slightly, acknowledging the role Glory played in his development and exposure. This demonstrates a professional balance; recognizing the promotion`s overall contribution while still holding firm on the injustice of that specific night.
The Kickboxing Bridge: Sparring with Rico Verhoeven
The conversation also pivoted to another elite kickboxer with strong ties to Glory: heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven. With Verhoeven having recently vacated his title to pursue new goals, speculation about an MMA move is rampant, amplified by reports that Derrick Lewis was offered a fight against him at UFC 324.
Adesanya shared a vignette from his past, recalling a sparring session with the massive Verhoeven while helping Anthony “Rumble” Johnson prepare for Jon Jones.
“He might not remember. He was a heavyweight, I was a middleweight. I could touch him but it wasn’t really doing anything, he was just moving me around.”
Despite the size disparity recollection, Adesanya believes Verhoeven’s transition to MMA would be serious, noting that high-level kickboxers often cross-train disciplines, making them “very well-versed” for the demands of the Octagon. Should Verhoeven enter the UFC heavyweight division, he would follow the successful blueprint laid out by Adesanya and, eventually, his nemesis Alex Pereira, further solidifying the pipeline from the kickboxing ring to the cage.
Ultimately, Adesanya`s claim serves as a powerful reminder that sometimes, the greatest impetus for change is not satisfaction or success, but the bitter taste of perceived injustice. That 2017 loss wasn`t a dead end; it was simply the sharp turn that propelled him directly toward legendary status in a new sport.
Percy Harlow