At the UFC 276 main event on Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Israel Adesania proved once again that he is the best middleweight in the UFC by unanimously deciding to retain his title.
Adesanya managed to keep Canonier at a distance for most of the fight, changing the level from time to time and stopping the win and turning it into a standup fight played directly in the champion’s game.
The judges scored 49-46, 49-46 and 50-45 for Adesanya.
Adesanya (23-1), 32, remained unbeaten in the 185-pound division and successfully defended his belt for the fifth time. He won the UFC 271 in February with a unanimous decision over Robert Whitaker.
Canonier (15-6), 38, entered the rankings to win two fights with five wins in the last six games. The Arizona native was knocking out Derek Branson in the second round at UFC 271.