When former two-time middleweight champion Israel Adesanya lost to Nassourdine Imavov in February in Saudi Arabia, it was his third loss in a row. “The Last Stylebender” was at a crossroads in his career. Whether he’d continue to fight was in question.
“I didn’t spar after my last fight. I did so well in the fight. I did so well in the camp and I didn’t get the result that I wanted. But I was like, I’m still proud of myself. I’m still proud of the way I worked,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel.
“I didn’t spar because I just looked after my brain. When I was in Miami recently watching Volk (Alexander Volkanovski) get his bet back in Miami, I sparred with Kamaru Usman for the first time in months. I knew once I sparred it would be like, man, y’all got any fights?”
With a Hall of Fame resume intact and nothing left to prove in the sport, Adesanya recently decided that he wanted to fight again. “I told my coach, ‘Yeah, it’s time.’ Like, I just knew,” Adesanya said.
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Adesanya has a specific opponent in mind for his next fight. He wants a rematch against the man that ended his second title reign, Sean Strickland.
“I know who, I have a feeling who I want to fight,” he said. “I have to get some get back. Strickland. I’m going to get him back.”
Strickland defeated Adesanya via unanimous decision in a one-sided fight at UFC 293 and ended Adesanya’s time as UFC champion. Strickland is currently ranked No. 2 in the 185-pound division while Adesanya is ranked No. 4.
