Despite the move up in weight, Daniel Cormier doesn’t see the change in weight class playing a factor for Israel Adesanya on Saturday night.

The former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion, now an analyst who will be on the call Saturday, doesn’t expectJan Blachowicz’s size advantage to affect Adesanya in their light heavyweight clash in the UFC 259 main event.

Adesanya, titleholder at middleweight, moves up to the 205-pound division to try to dethrone Blachowicz and become a two-division champion. At the official weigh-ins Friday, Blachowicz was 205 pounds, while Adesanya was well under the limit at 200.5.

Cormier, who had a successful move from light heavyweight to heavyweight in 2018, thinks Adesanya will perform just as he normally does now 20 pounds north.

“You feel the difference in the power. You can tell they punch a little harder when you’re used to something. But it just takes time to get started,” Cormier told reporters Friday. “Once you get started and get used to the power, the speed, and the pace which the fight is going to take place, it’s just another fight.

“These guys have competed their whole lives, so nothing is really going to surprise him. You have to remember, Izzy has fought at heavyweight. He’s fought heavier guys, so this wont be that difficult for him.”

Adesanya has yet to compete in any other weight class outside of middleweight in MMA, but he’s competed in kickboxing at heavyweight. Cormier thinks light heavyweight will not be an issue for the Nigerian champion and even thinks heavyweight could be within reach.

“He’s a tall guy, but if he were short, then it’s like, ‘This dude can’t fight 185 and then heavyweight.’ But he’s done it before,” Cormier said. “I think ultimately you have to make sure it’s the right kind of matchup if you’re playing with heavyweight. You don’t want to be fighting heavyweight with Francis (Ngannou) as a guy who’s coming from 185. But for the right matchup, yeah, I believe this kid can do whatever he wants. I think he’s just that good.”

Adesanya’s team has teased heavyweight before. Coach Eugene Bareman said there could be interest in a potential showdown with current heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic. Cormier thinks Adesanya is talented enough to compete at heavyweight, but not right away. There needs to be an adjustment period if Adesanya wants to do it right.

“I don’t think he will go up to heavyweight in two fights – that’s crazy,” Cormier said. “You can’t go 185 to heavyweight in two fights. I think it will take some time.

“But I think that this speaks to who Israel Adesanya is – that that’s even a conversation, that he could attempt to do something that outlandish. There was a time that nobody thought being a two-division champion was even possible, and now we’re talking about a guy who may pursue three titles, talking about a 20-pound jump to a 60-pound jump. That just speaks to the level of athlete that Adesanya is.”