Israel Adesanya

At #8 in the middleweight rankings, Israel Adesanya — "The Last Stylebender" to fight fans — is past the "prospect" stage. This is contender territory, and every fight from here is a title eliminator in disguise.

This is power striking with numbers behind it — 16 KO/TKO wins, 4.03 significant strikes landed per minute. Opponents don't get outpointed so much as dismantled. Add a 80" reach, and the puzzle gets harder still.

The last fight went to Joe Pyfer (KO/TKO (Punches) R2) — a setback, and the interesting question is always what a fighter does with one.

He's 37 now. Fighters at this stage aren't building toward something; they're spending what's left, and that usually makes for the best fights.