Which fighter defeated Israel Adesanya to win the UFC middleweight title at UFC 293?

Sean Strickland defeated Israel Adesanya to win the UFC middleweight title at UFC 293.

UFC 293 took place on September 10, 2023, at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. Strickland won by unanimous decision after five rounds, producing one of the biggest title-fight upsets in recent UFC history.

Strickland used constant forward pressure, a disciplined boxing approach, and a strong defensive guard to disrupt Adesanya’s striking rhythm. The judges scored the fight 49–46, 49–46, and 49–46 for Strickland.

The victory made Strickland the UFC middleweight champion, but his reign lasted only one defense. At UFC 297 in January 2024, Dricus du Plessis defeated Strickland by split decision to win the title. Adesanya had previously held the belt during two separate championship reigns.