Israel Adesanya was defeated over five rounds by Sean Strickland at UFC 293, losing his middleweight title, but despite this, UFC president Dana White and fighter Matt Brown believe Adesanya, one of the most active champions in the sport with a long history of wins, should get an immediate rematch whenever he chooses, after a break for rest and recovery.
In his fight against Sean Strickland, Israel Adesanya may not have been finished, but he was thoroughly defeated over five rounds at UFC 293, losing his middleweight title. Despite this disappointing performance, UFC president Dana White quickly stated that the former champion should receive an immediate rematch, describing Adesanya as looking “flat and slow” during the fight. However, this sentiment was not shared by everyone – UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier disagreed with White’s call for an immediate rematch. On the other hand, Matt Brown, another veteran fighter, supports the idea of a rematch, but this is not due to Adesanya’s lackluster performance against Strickland.
Brown shared his thoughts on the on-going controversy during the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer. He believes that Adesanya does not need to fight anyone immediately because of his track record leading up to this fight, rather than the outcome of the battle against Strickland. He suggested that Adesanya should take some time off, considering the busy schedule he had as one of the most active champions in UFC history. Brown further stated his belief that Adesanya earned his right to an immediate rematch due to his past performance and his contribution to the UFC.
Adesanya has a strong record as a champion, with an impressive 8-3 score in UFC title fights. His only loss prior to the Strickland fight was against Alex Pereira, an error he rectified by reclaiming his title in April. In the recent match against Strickland, Adesanya was not knocked out as in the Pereira fight, rather, Strickland won by a clear decision. Still, Brown argues that Adesanya has earned enough goodwill to receive the rematch he desires, but not before taking a well-deserved break.
Brown, with a keen understanding of the grueling schedule that champions like Adesanya have to face in the UFC, supports the idea of Adesanya taking a break before being offered the title rematch. He stated, “I hope Izzy [Adesanya] doesn’t need that right away, between the media responsibilities and the people around you, you’re fighting the best every single time is stressful enough, not even minding the outside s*** you’ve got to deal with.” Strickland deserves due credit for his performance, prompting Brown to suggest that Adesanya rest, reset, and retrain before jumping back into a title rematch.