WILL ADESANYA EVER BECOME THE UFC CHAMPION AGAIN?
With the dream of becoming the fifth fighter in the rich history of mixed martial art to hold two UFC championship at once, the Nigerian born Israel Adesanya suffered his first loss in his twenty-first mixed martial arts career as he came up short against his opponent, Jan Blachowicz at the UFC 259 bout. Although the Nigerian-born was heavily favoured at -240, while Blachowicz is a +200 underdog in the MMA, UFC 259, the Last Stylebender was defeated by the Polish fighter on March 7.
However, the Last Stylebender is a different kind of fighter, while it is not just about the Nigerian-born fighter’s candor, charisma, and marketability or other factors that ensure that Israel Adesanya advances in his quest to be a champion. However, those characteristics did help, but what matters most is what happens on fight night.
And while the latest setback may be a hindrance to the advancement of the Nigerian born mixed martial artist and that is a whole lot to take in for someone who was getting ready for his second UFC bout at this time last year, but if anyone is seemingly built to handle it all, it’s the 29-year-old Nigeria native.
The Polish fierce fighter power-puncher used his bigger advantage to wrestle the talented Adesanya in the final two rounds and it virtually worked well for the tall and sturdy fighter and the ultimately it was enough for Blachowicz to claim Adesanya belt while he retains his own and making him the fifth fighter to hold two belt simultaneously behind Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier, Henry Cejudo and Amanda Nunes.
More so, while Israel Adesanya was speaking at the post-fight press conference, the talented fighter was heavily disappointed but not disheartened, while he referenced that: “Losses are part of life. Losses are something I deal with occasionally.
“Just this is my first one in MMA. As I say, it is what it is. If I was going to lose to anyone, what better guy to lose to than a guy like Jan?
“(He’s) a classy champion, a cool dude, a very nice guy – a guy who has a great story in himself.
“On his way to getting cut from the company, comes back and then dominates and becomes the light heavyweight champion and then hands this guy, a future legend, his first loss. Yeah, if I was going to lose to anyone, I’m glad I lost to him.”
‘Stylebender’ understood the risk he was taking by stepping up to light-heavyweight and insists he has no regrets despite losing.
“(I have) no regrets,” Adesanya said. “Like I said, I don’t know. I feel like the boxing model has made it a bad thing to lose. Yeah, it sucks losing. Don’t get me wrong. But it’s not like the end of the world. Like I said, I’ve lost before in the past. … Right now, me and my team, we’re just excited to get home and work on certain little details.”
After such a long interview, it was obvious that the Nigerian-born and talented fighter was disappointed but he had since picked himself up to look into the future. However, can he reclaim his glory, how well can he go?
Those questions are what comes more often after the loss of the Last Stylebender to the fierce polish fighter in his last bout, but the technical fighter had hinted to bounce back in his winning glory sooner than later.
Although many believed that the New Zealander was brave enough to fight above his weight level as one of his fans in Nigeria tweeted that “The fight between Israel and Jan was a close one and there’s nothing to be ashamed of. ‘Izzy’s’ move from middleweight to light heavyweight isn’t an easy one. Our guy is still the UFC middleweight champion,”
The loss might have been a setback in the popularity advancement of the New Zealander but the Nigerian born fighter had quickly learned his lesson and he is willing to redefine himself in other to establish his legitimacy as one of the best fighter in the mixed martial arts and more importantly in Ultimate Fighting Championship while he believes he could be the most fearsome fighter.
However, will the defeat be a barrier or a stepping to advance his career but the time will certainly tell if the born fighter will be the tiger wished to or will he eventually bow out of the ring but it’s looking like the earlier will be the legacy of the Last Stylebender as the furious fighter had promised his fans to never disappoint them against which is more than a promise to lift his aura, pedigree, and ambition.
Lastly, the Nigerian born MMA fighter will certainly have more mountain to climb and while he had lost his belt, his unbeaten record, his pedigree, and ambition, the brilliant fighter will be looking to reclaim and strategize his quest and ambition which may make the excellent fight go really hungry once again and if he needs to be the champion he dreams of, the loss might just be the tool he needs to advance and will the Lat Stylebender come back to the champion he wants to be? The chances of attaining that seemed clearer than before when the excellent fighter was holding the Middleweight belt and losing will certainly arouse the feeling of champion once again. And Yes! The last Stylebender will comeback to be the champion after his defeat.