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Michael Bisping Puts The Anderson Silva vs. Israel Adesanya Middleweight GOAT Debate To Bed

Originally posted on MMA News | By Kyle Dimond | Last updated 9/6/23

Since debuting in the UFC in 2018, middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has produced a run that puts him right near the top of the pound-for-pound list.

With five successful title defenses during his first run as champion, "The Last Stylebender" is surely on a list of the greatest ever UFC champions.

If there was any doubt to this, becoming the first ever 185-pound fighter to win the belt for a second time with his incredible rematch against Alex Pereira solidified it.

That being said, there is still an argument to be had over who the greatest UFC middleweight of all time is.

In a YouTube video on his channel, former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping compared the legacies of Adesanya and the former champ Anderson "The Spider" Silva.

Listing off Adesanya's accomplishments and the way he has been able to lap the division, "The Count" pointed out that Silva still leads the argument from a stats point of view.

"Listen we could sit here all say and pontificate and come out with theories and who's the best and why and all the rest of it. Right now, Anderson Silva is ahead on all the numbers, knockouts, wins, defenses, length of time, all the rest of it, it all points towards Anderson Silva and I think he's got the better style so far. "The Last Stylebender" is incredible to watch but the way that Anderson Silva would dispose of his opponents was legendary back in the day"

Michael Bisping Gives Anderson Silva The Edge In The Middleweight GOAT Debate

As a fighter that operated at 185-pounds during the legendary reign of Silva, Bisping remembers his years of dominance well.

Revealing that he was inspired by the champion's performances, beating Silva back in 2016 was a huge moment for the Brit on his way to winning the belt.

At UFC 234 in 2019, Adesanya defeating Silva in Australia was seen by many as a passing of the torch moment with one exciting striker making way for a new one at the top of the division.

Whilst Bisping is a huge fan of everything that "The Last Stylebender" has accomplished since that date, he still believes that he has work to do before he can take Silva's spot in the pecking order.

"They're two great fighters from two different eras, they did get to fight one another and of course Israel won but as I said before, you can't really look at that fight too much. You can't really give it too much weight and I know that sounds like an insult to Israel Adesanya, that's not what I'm doing. They're both incredible, I'm fans of them both. Right now, the greatest middleweight of all time without question is Anderson Silva but Israel Adesanya is still only 34 years old"

Adesanya will look to continue writing the chapters of his legacy when he starts his second title reign with his first defense against Sean Strickland this Saturday at UFC 293.

Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.

This article first appeared on MMA News and was syndicated with permission.

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