Israel Adesanya is seeking a rematch against Sean Strickland later this year.
Adesanya experienced a turbulent 2023. In April, he spectacularly knocked out Alex Pereira at UFC 287 to regain his middleweight title, a win later recognized as Knockout of the Year. However, just five months later at UFC 293, “The Last Stylebender” lost the belt in a dominant performance by Sean Strickland. Now, Adesanya is eager to avenge that loss.
Speaking to reporters at the 2025 UFC Hall of Fame ceremony, where he was inducted for his fight against Kelvin Gastelum in 2019, Adesanya indicated his desired timeline for a return bout against Strickland, targeting September or October.
Asked about a potential fall clash with Strickland, Adesanya speculated, “I think he’s going through something.” He added, “I haven’t really seen anything, but someone sent me a screenshot, like, ‘Oh, he’s fat now.’ I saw it and I was like, oh shit.
Adesanya continued by commenting on Strickland`s demeanor: “Sean’s a guy who definitely has a lot of old school stuff, trauma he has to deal with. We all go through shit. But for him, that’s easy. He should have just said something and start roasting me or whatever. That’s a Sean Strickland thing to do, but he’s been quiet.
He then directly addressed Strickland: “Sean, it’s June, men’s mental health month. I hope you’re looking out for your mental health, and also looking out for your physical health. You fat bitch. [Laughs].”
However, Strickland`s silence was short-lived. Shortly after Adesanya`s comments, Strickland was involved in another controversial incident, storming the cage at a Tuff-N-Uff event in Las Vegas and punching a fighter who had provoked him. It remains uncertain if this latest outburst will result in a suspension from athletic commissions, which could potentially disrupt Adesanya`s desired rematch timeline.
Marcus Blakely