Stylebender review: Israel Adesanya provides peek behind the curtain in revealing documentary

Israel Adesanya's documentary 'Stylebender' is in theatres from September 28.

Alone in the darkness, Israel Adesanya forged a pathway to sporting greatness.

In the documentary Stylebender, directed by Zoe McIntosh and produced by Fluroblack, his journey down that pathway from bullied child to sporting superstar is explored in depth, highlighting the many challenges along the way and what awaited him at the end of the road. It provides a rare glimpse into the man behind the moniker in a 1hr42min exploration of a complex and captivating character.

Adesanya has made his name known around the world through his pursuits as a combat sports athlete, however, this is not a film about fighting inside the cage, but rather battles outside of it - from not fitting in to the challenges of global fame and challenging what it means to be masculine.

Before the film shows a glimpse of combat, McIntosh has already worked to break down any preconceived ideas of Adesanya the viewer brings with them. Rather than playing up the brash persona of The Last Stylebender that is so often in the public eye, the audience is introduced to Adesanya through a therapy session.

The juxtaposition between his two personas is then beautifully displayed in the opening montage which shows Adesanya getting his nails done, interacting with fans and saying affirmations to himself in the mirror – interspersed with highlights of his career in the arena. It ends with the two-time UFC middleweight champion posing a challenge to his audience: “Just look at the details of me and try and put me in a box. That’s the story you’re telling yourself, but that’s not the truth.”

Israel Adesanya offers a rare glimpse at his life outside of the cage in his documentary Stylebender.

While he is the picture of luxury when he makes the statement; it feels quite tongue-in-cheek as what follows is a peek behind the curtain at the work that has gone in to getting him to this position in his career – both on a personal level and professionally, with depth added to the commentary with frequent appearances from members of his family and City Kickboxing head coach Eugene Bareman.

This is a raw glimpse at Adesanya, presenting his triumphs and his flaws as he navigates life as a global sporting icon, and inviting the audience to learn more about the human being behind the name. That is well complemented by a variety of behind-the-scenes footage captured across his career by filmmaker Jeff Sainlar, who has worked with Adesanya since 2015.

Uncomfortable subjects are at the heart of this exploration of character; from dealing with racism when his family relocated from Nigeria and settled in Rotorua, having fans show up at his house out of the blue once his star began to rise on the world’s stage, the death of a teammate, losing a lucrative sponsorship because of a social media controversy, and realising he needed to own who he is rather than trying to fit in.

The latter is one of the key themes McIntosh promotes throughout the film.

“It’s a really great reminder to embrace your weirdness,” she tells the Herald. “That is your superpower. It certainly is Israel’s.”

McIntosh’s direction helps to take the documentary to another level. She admits MMA was not one of her interests when she started the project in 2019, but that works to her benefit.

The clear focus is on the character, and the narratives of growth, navigating success, and exploring masculinity are presented with captivating cinematic flair.

Those who have followed Adesanya’s journey will definitely take more away from the documentary given the rare glimpses into how the City Kickboxing team operates and the commentary provided as he made his way through the ranks. However, those who have no interest in the sport will certainly find something to take away from a thought-provoking experience.

Stylebender is in theatres from September 28.