The future of former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has been uncertain since his defeat to Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Saudi Arabia. However, his head coach has offered an encouraging update.
After experiencing three consecutive losses, and four in his last five fights, “The Last Stylebender” has been contemplating his next steps in professional fighting. He recently attended UFC 314 to support his teammate Alexander Volkanovski and discussed his future with City Kickboxing head coach Eugene Bareman in Miami.
According to Bareman, Adesanya expressed his desire to compete again during a brief conversation. He quoted Adesanya saying, “Look, man, I think I’m going to fight again.” Bareman explained that their discussions are currently focused on Adesanya`s motivation and hunger to return to fighting, rather than specific opponents or fight details.
Bareman emphasized that they are assessing Adesanya`s inner drive to compete at the highest level again. This comes after Adesanya`s impressive reign of six title defenses, which was followed by a title loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 281 in November 2022. He did reclaim the title in a memorable knockout victory at UFC 287, recognized as MMA Fighting’s 2023 Knockout of the Year.
Since regaining the title, Adesanya has faced further setbacks, including a decision loss to Sean Strickland and stoppage losses to Dricus du Plessis and Imavov, despite strong performances in the initial rounds of these fights.
Bareman believes Adesanya is capable of winning in the octagon but sees his ambition extending beyond mere victories. He views Adesanya as someone who aims to reclaim his position as the world`s best. The crucial question is whether Adesanya is willing to undertake the demanding journey to reach the top once more.
“I’m being patient. I mean, like, I’m cool with what Izzy does,” Bareman stated, acknowledging Adesanya`s accomplishments in the sport. He highlighted the intense commitment required to compete at the highest level, referencing Alexander Volkanovski`s work ethic as an example. Bareman stressed that Adesanya is aware of the dedication needed to emulate Volkanovski`s success, especially considering the challenges of competing at an elite level later in one`s career.
