Alexander Volkanovski Crowns Israel Adesanya "Best Kickboxer" Ever, Praises Mauricio Ruffy

When former UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski talks about elite striking, fight fans everywhere stop and listen. Following Israel Adesanya’s high-profile departure from City Kickboxing, the former two-time UFC Middleweight Champion made waves by traveling to Australia to share mats with Volkanovski and rising lightweight contender Mauricio Ruffy at Freestyle Fighting Gym in Wollongong.

While training footage of Adesanya and Ruffy sparring quickly spread across social media, Volkanovski offered an emphatic vote of confidence regarding his long-time training partner's place in combat sports history.

Speaking on Adesanya's legendary striking pedigree, Volkanovski was full of praise when ranking "The Last Stylebender" at the absolute apex of martial arts strikers.

"I’ve said this to Brad Riddell and a few other people, Israel Adesanya is the best kickboxer the world’s ever seen," Volkanovski declared. "When it comes to technique, skill, fight IQ, timing, range and overall ability as an art, I’d say Izzy would be the best striker the world’s ever seen."

Volkanovski recognized that even generational talents encounter setbacks, specifically pointing toward Adesanya's heated rivalry with light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. "Obviously, he’s lost fights. You’ve got Pereira, who’s very, very dangerous for reasons. But it’s a fight game; anything can happen," Volkanovski added, encouraging fans to revisit Adesanya's reel of highlight-reel finishes against elite competition.

High Praise for the Fighting Nerds Prospect

Adesanya was not the only striking phenom earning glowing reviews during the Wollongong sessions. Volkanovski was equally blown away by Ruffy, the 30-year-old Brazilian lightweight representing the Fighting Nerds team. Ruffy boasts a stellar 14-2 professional MMA record, with 13 of those victories coming via stoppage due to strikes.

"I believe he’s literally up there as one of the best strikers in the UFC already," Volkanovski said when assessing Ruffy's razor-sharp stand-up skills. "But you have to prove it time and time again against incredible fighters."

For Adesanya, who currently sports a 24-6 professional MMA record with 16 career knockouts, stepping into a fresh training environment marks an intriguing new chapter in his legendary career. Working technical sparring rounds alongside a precision finisher like Ruffy inside Volkanovski's home gym offers an ideal atmosphere as he retools his skill set.

Meanwhile, Volkanovski remains dialed in for his own upcoming UFC featherweight championship defense against top contender Movsar Evloev. Regardless of when Adesanya returns to action, receiving such high praise from a pound-for-pound peer reminds fight fans that his striking pedigree remains second to none.