Israel Adesanya looks back on a conversation with UFC CEO Dana White that turned out to be quite telling.
Before Adesanya defended his middleweight title against Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September 2023, White reportedly warned him that his frequent fights and willingness to face any challenger might eventually catch up with him. Adesanya went on to suffer a decisive loss to Strickland, ending his second reign as champion and beginning a difficult period with three consecutive losses.
Adesanya discussed this exchange during a recent episode of his show, *Young Man Ramble*.
He recalled telling White, “No, I have to fight in Sydney. I need to compete. It`s been so long since I`ve fought on this side of the world.” According to Adesanya, White replied, “Listen, kid. You`ve got enough money. Just take a break for a little while.”
“So I just said no,” Adesanya continued, admitting he was stubborn at the time. “Looking back now, maybe Dana was right. Perhaps I should have just taken it easy. But then again, I appreciate these moments and stories. This is how things are meant to unfold. Facing challenges is a privilege. Indeed.”
Since the loss to Strickland, Adesanya has struggled to regain his previous form. He had an opportunity to become a three-time champion at UFC 305 but was submitted by rival Dricus du Plessis. Following that, he lost his first non-title fight since 2019, being stopped by Nassourdine Imavov in February.
At 35, “The Last Stylebender” has indicated he plans to be more selective about his upcoming bouts. He also expressed interest in a future rematch with Strickland.
When guest Sean O`Malley asked if he still wanted to fight Strickland again, Adesanya responded, “Definitely. That`s on my list.” He clarified the motivation was personal: “not for anyone else, just for myself.” He mentioned that someone close had previously spoken about his high activity level and the impact on his body. While acknowledging all fighters compete with some wear and tear, that particular fight felt different.
Adesanya added that he has since focused on recovery and is now limiting his activity to maybe two or three fights per year. Regarding the specific desire for the Strickland rematch, he stated, “For me, I simply want to know that he beat the best version of me. Then, I can be okay with it.”
