Israel Adesanya, Nigerian-born New Zealand MMA fighter, has been named Fighter of the Year for 2020 at the World MMA Awards.

The UFC Middleweight champion, who has a 20-0 career record after beating both Yoel Romero and Paulo Costa in the Octagon this year, picked up the Charles ‘Mask’ Lewis Fighter of the Year Award, a prize for International Fighter of the Year, on Sunday, December 27, at the 12th edition of the Fighters Only World MMA Awards.

Mr Adesanya’s award is the second in a row having won and unified the UFC Middleweight Championship in 2019.

The 31-year-old also picked up the Breakthrough Fighter of the Year prize in 2018 making his prominence in the MMA community to rise.

Adesanya’s year began with a unanimous decision victory over Romero in Las Vegas’ 248 events. This was his first fight since unifying the Middleweight Championship in October 2019.

Adesanya, according to Daily Mail, had to wait until September for his next fight, however, dispatched Brazilian fighter Costa with a second-round knockout following a series of punches. This fight won him the Performance of the Night title.

In 2021, Adesanya could come up against his fiercest rivals, Jon Jones.

UFC president, Dana White has claimed that ‘Bones’ is ready to come out of retirement to take on the Middleweight champion.

‘That’s the fight I would love to see.

“Somebody asked me yesterday, “If you could make one fight in 2021, what would it be?” That’s the fight. That’s my pick,” the UFC President said speaking about a possible Adesanya VS Jones fight.