Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is seeking another opportunity to fight Sean Strickland.
Earlier this year, Adesanya suffered a knockout defeat to Nassourdine Imavov, marking his third consecutive loss. This period led to speculation about whether “The Last Stylebender” might retire. However, after taking a few months to recover, Adesanya has confirmed he isn`t stepping away from the sport and already has his next opponent in mind.
On his YouTube channel, Adesanya explained his return: “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 still proud of myself. I’m still proud of the way I worked. So then I didn’t spar because I just looked after my brain.” He added that recently sparring with Kamaru Usman in Miami reignited his drive to compete, stating, “I knew once I sparred it would be like, ‘Man, I’ve gotta fight!’”
Adesanya revealed his intentions, saying, “So for me now, I told my coach already, it’s time. I just knew. And I have a feeling who I want to fight… I’ve gotta get some get back. Strickland. I’m going to get it back.”
In 2023, Adesanya reclaimed the middleweight title by knocking out his rival Alex Pereira. With Pereira moving to light heavyweight, it seemed Adesanya was set for another extended reign. However, Sean Strickland unexpectedly derailed those plans.
Strickland stepped in on short notice to headline UFC 293 against Adesanya and pulled off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, dominating Adesanya for 25 minutes to claim the middleweight belt. While Adesanya acknowledges Strickland`s performance, he is determined to prove that loss was an anomaly.
Admitting the decisive nature of the first fight, Adesanya stated, “He beat me fair and square in Sydney. 5 – Nil. Just whooped my ass, badly.” He reflected that his previous high activity level as champion (fighting 3-4 times a year) might have played a role and indicated he plans to reduce his frequency now that he is older and approaching things differently.
He emphasized his motivation isn`t rooted in making excuses, stating, “I don’t want to make excuses, because he beat me, but I just want to show him if he beat me at my best. So this time I’m going to come at him correct.”
Adesanya also added a personal dimension, connecting his desire for revenge to past experiences. “Because I used to get bullied a lot as a kid. So he’s an embodiment of that, in a sense, because he attacked me, the inner child. So i just want to protect him and get some get back for him.”
Sean Strickland`s last fight was his rematch loss to current middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis at UFC 312 in February.
Commentary suggests an Adesanya-Strickland rematch makes sense, although it would involve two top contenders fighting without an immediate title shot, prompting some preference for them to face rising contenders instead. Nevertheless, the author understands the potential draw of the rematch should it materialize.
Wesley Dunham