Welcome to The Weekly Takedown, Sports Illustrated’s in-depth look at MMA. Every Thursday, this column offers insight and information on the most noteworthy stories in the fight world.
On The Wire, it was Avon Barksdale who had the boxing pedigree. His No. 2, Stringer Bell, was also tough, yet his plan was to flourish as a business mogul.
In real-life, the man who played Bell–Idris Elba–is a passionate fight fan.
While Elba once believed that the mantle of best in the world belonged to Jon Jones, he now feels it rests in the sole possession of reigning UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.