Israel Adesanya is one of the most exciting UFC fighters on the planet right now, but what are some of his favourite anime shows?

When you think of some of the greatest fighters in the history of the sport, you don’t necessarily expect them to be fans of Dragonball Z, Naruto or Evangelion, but Adesanya is an exception to the rule.

‘The Last Stylebender’ wears his anime and gaming love on his sleeve, and it’s no surprise with a nickname like that styled after the Avatar series.

Here’s everything you need to know about Israel Adesanya’s favourite anime films and tv shows, as confirmed by The Last Stylebender himself.

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UFC 271: Adesanya v Whittaker 2

HOUSTON, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 12: Israel Adesanya of Nigeria celebrates after defending his middleweight championship against Robert Whittaker of Australia during UFC 271 at Toyota Center on February 12, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)


Israel Adesanya’s Favourite Anime

Speaking to ESPN back in 2021, Adesanya revealed his love for the anime series Naruto, and how he was inspired by the morals of the show.

He said: "Naruto's cool. I took breaks in between, but it was like four years to watch 720 episodes with, I think it was six or seven movies, so it was a long time. But I took breaks in between.

"Where do I start? Naruto is just a kid - you can't even make this a long story, short - but he's a kid who inspires me based on the way he was brought up and his will-power; his will-power really inspired me, and his morals that he has for his friends and his family, and his code.

"His ninja code could never be broken and I really respect that; not just him but a few other characters like Rock Lee and Shino, Akamaru or Shikamaru; a lot of them. I draw strength from characters that aren't even ‘real’, quote-unquote because they're animated.

"But they're real for me and it's all about what's in here, what you feel in here [the heart] and I can relate to those guys more than I can to some of the great leaders of our time."

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