Israel Adesanya, amid a three-fight losing streak, wants to fight more freely and focus on enjoying the sport rather than pursuing titles.
Israel Adesanya is itching to return to the octagon with a fresh mindset. He wants to fight freely, embracing the unpredictable.
“The Last Stylebender,” once a dominant middleweight champ, is now on a three-fight skid—the longest in his career. His 2025 appearance saw him stopped by Nasosurdine Imavov at UFC Saudi Arabia.
“That’s a good question,” Adesanya mused. In Auckland, he often hears, “Are you retired?” Initially, he’d explain, “Nah, just taking a break.” Now? He playfully replies, “Yeah, I’m retired,” until they spot him on a poster.
Before facing Imavov, Adesanya was defeated by Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305. This followed his title loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293.
Adesanya’s journey to the top was swift, undefeated until Jan Blachowicz edged him out at UFC 259 in 2021. A quest for dual-division glory that fell just short.
At 36, he’s eager to have fun and defy expectations. “For me, it’s not about belts anymore,” he shared. “I’ve got two shiny belts at home. They look good. But I just want to fight.”
He reminisces about the thrill of risky moves. “I still fought well defending the belt, but I want to fight more freely. Try some risky shit like the [Brad] Taveres fight. Remember the imanari roll? I want to try shit like that again.”