Israel Adesanya is not done with the UFC and intends to compete again.
Considered by many to be second only to Anderson Silva in middleweight history, former UFC champion Israel Adesanya hasn`t secured a victory recently. His last win was a knockout against Alex Pereira in April 2023. Since then, Adesanya lost his title and has suffered defeats in his last three fights in the Octagon.
Adesanya was defeated by current champion Dricus du Plessis and Nassourdine Imavov in consecutive fights, raising questions about his future in the sport.
After taking a break, it appears Adesanya is ready to return, informing his coach of his desire to fight once more.
Tim Welch: Israel Adesanya Wants Sean Strickland Rematch
Adesanya recently trained with UFC champion Sean O’Malley while O’Malley prepared for his fight against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316.
Tim Welch, O’Malley’s head coach, was also present and revealed insights into Adesanya’s preferred opponent for his return: Sean Strickland, the #2 middleweight contender and a former opponent.
“Izzy mentioned he’s enjoying his life,” Welch stated on his YouTube channel.
“Previously, he was consistently taking fights one after another. Looking back at past pay-per-views, he was frequently the main event.”
“He seemed to want that Strickland fight again,” Welch said about his conversations with Adesanya.
Adesanya’s current losing streak began with a loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293, and he is seeking to avenge that defeat.
Israel Adesanya Not at His Best Against Sean Strickland at UFC 293
The fight against Strickland occurred five months after Adesanya reclaimed his title from Alex Pereira. ‘The Last Stylebender’ chose not to take a break at that time. Adesanya finally faced Strickland over a year after their confrontation at the UFC 276 press conference, where Strickland verbally attacked the champion.
Strickland backed up his words, nearly knocking out Adesanya in the first round. Strickland ultimately won the title via a unanimous decision after a dominant five-round striking performance, achieving a significant upset.
Many believed that Adesanya was not at his peak, both mentally and physically, for the Strickland fight.
“They say no excuses, but his knee was messed up,” Welch mentioned regarding Adesanya’s training camp before the Strickland fight.
“He was just burnt out. It was simply a bad night where he didn’t perform to his usual level.”
The Strickland fight was Adesanya’s 5th title fight in 18 months, making him one of the most active champions in UFC history.
“He mentioned that Georges St-Pierre gave him advice to not just accept fights but to ensure he’s truly motivated to fight, especially at his level where he has financial security.”
Rupert Hartwell