Israel Adesanya shared his thoughts on the iconic battle against Kelvin Gastelum. The two fighters competed for the interim middleweight title in the UFC 236 co-main event in April 2019 and produced one of the most memorable matches in the sport’s history. Adesanya won the fight by unanimous decision, capturing the interim title.
During the UFC 312 broadcast, the promotion announced that the fight has been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Israel Adesanya interacted with Gastelum via video call after the announcement, and the duo expressed their gratitude for being the perfect dance partners in creating this historic fight.
Israel Adesanya said to Gastelum:
“Hermano! We did it! Congrats to you, man! Hey, it takes two to tango and you’re a great salsa partner, man. Thank you so much. That’s what I said on the mic, when they put it up on the screen, ‘Kelvin, that was us, that was you and me, Hermano.’ You’re a special human being.”
Check out Israel Adesanya and Kelvin Gastelum’s interaction below:
Forever linked 🤝@Stylebender & @KelvinGastelum catch up about their upcoming #UFCHOF induction! pic.twitter.com/sGTIlDgmSy
— UFC (@ufc) February 9, 2025
Speaking with members of the MMA media at the press conference, Adesanya shared his reflections on the fight and on Gastelum, stating:
“That fight was a movie. That was some real-life Ninja sh**. Like, me and this tough Mexican going at it… the scar I have on my lip from the fight when he busted it with a punch, If I look at it in the mirror, if I catch a glimpse of it, a thought of him goes past my head. There’s moments in my life when I have to dig deep, or in the gym, and there were moments in that fight where I had to dig deep. And, that helps me fuel myself, you know. So, again, forever grateful for him and those moments.”
Check out Israel Adesanya’s comments below (2:45):
Israel Adesanya reacts to his 2019 fight against Kelvin Gastelum being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame:
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) February 9, 2025
"Whenever I look in the mirror and catch a glimpse of [this scar], a thought of him goes past my head. … I am forever grateful to him." pic.twitter.com/0s6ff87uQu
Gastelum also took to X and shared his thoughts, writing:
“Thank you @stylebender for a classic battle that is now cemented in the UFC Hall Of Fame. You’re a very special individual and I’m very thankful our paths crossed! All glory is for God who strengthens me always and forever. Amen. Gracias a toda mi gente for por el apoyo siempre.”
Thank you @stylebender for a classic battle that is now cemented in the UFC Hall Of Fame.
— #OnAmission4Gold (@KelvinGastelum) February 9, 2025
You’re a very special individual and I’m very thankful our paths crossed!
All glory is for God who strengthens me always and forever. Amen.
Gracias a toda mi gente for por el apoyo siempre pic.twitter.com/hYdRrWJV2r
Adesanya and Gastelum’s careers took very different paths following their first fight, and they never had the opportunity to rematch, despite how competitive that initial bout was.
‘The Last Stylebender’ went on to unify the UFC middleweight title by defeating Robert Whittaker and maintained his reign over the division for nearly four years. Meanwhile, Gastelum was in some competitive fights but could not secure another title shot during Adesanya’s championship reign.