After a string of tough defeats, the fighting future of former UFC middleweight
champion Israel Adesanya has been the subject of much speculation.
However, his head coach, Eugene Bareman of City
Kickboxing, has offered fans a glimmer of hope, suggesting that “The Last
Stylebender” is seriously considering a return to the octagon.
Adesanya, who was last seen in action at UFC Saudi
Arabia where he suffered a knockout loss to Nassourdine Imavov, has now lost
four of his past five bouts, including three consecutive defeats. The
34-year-old has yet to make a public statement about whether he plans to
continue his career or retire from professional fighting.
Speaking to Submission Radio, Bareman revealed a key
conversation with Adesanya that took place in Miami during UFC 314, where the
Nigerian-born fighter was on hand to support teammate Alexander Volkanovski’s
successful bid to reclaim the featherweight title.
“In the locker room, he said, ‘Look, man, I think I’m
going to fight again,’” Bareman said. “So those are the conversations we’re
having — whether he has the hunger, the desire to go again.”
Adesanya rose to stardom with six successful title
defenses before losing his belt to Alex Pereira via TKO at UFC 281 in 2022. He
reclaimed the middleweight crown in emphatic fashion just five months later
with a devastating knockout at UFC 287, which earned MMA Fighting’s Knockout of
the Year.
However, subsequent losses to Sean Strickland, Dricus
du Plessis, and Imavov have raised questions about his trajectory and
motivation.
Despite the setbacks, Bareman believes Adesanya still
has what it takes to compete at the highest level — but emphasized the immense
dedication required to return to form.
“Izzy’s done everything in this sport. But the reality
is, he’s lost three of his last four. He knows the level of commitment needed,”
Bareman said. “We just saw one of our best friends, Volkanovski — the same age
as Izzy — win the world title again. That’s the example. That’s the bar.”
As fans await an official decision, it remains clear
that Adesanya’s legacy is already secure. Whether he chooses to make one more
climb to the top of the UFC mountain is now a matter of personal drive — and
the fire that once made him one of the sport’s most electrifying figures
Comments:
Leave a Reply