Adesanya Discloses One Fight White Discouraged Him from Accepting - Pondering if White's Advice was Justified
UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya Faces Unexpected Loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293
In a surprising turn of events at UFC 293, Israel Adesanya, then the reigning UFC middleweight champion, suffered a defeat at the hands of Sean Strickland. The bout took place five months after Adesanya avenged his loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 287.
As a clear favorite, Adesanya's loss came as a shock to many, with Strickland pulling off a unanimous decision victory. The defeat marked a significant turning point in Adesanya's career, leading to a three-fight losing streak.
Prior to the match, UFC President Dana White had advised Adesanya to take a break, expressing concerns about his financial success. White suggested Adesanya should "chill out," but his advice was ignored. In hindsight, Adesanya has expressed some regret, acknowledging that he may have been better off heeding White's advice.
Reflecting on his experience, Adesanya stated, "I felt the same way [as when fighting Strickland]. I was like, 'I have to fight in Sydney, I have to fight in Sydney. I haven't fought on this side of the world for so long.' Then Dana [White] was like, 'Listen kid, you have enough money, just chill out for a while.' I said, 'Nah,' and I was stubborn, but in hindsight, I'm like, 'Maybe Dana was right. Maybe I should've just chilled.'"
Following his loss to Strickland, Adesanya challenged for the title once again against Dricus Du Plessis, but was submitted after four grueling rounds. Since then, Adesanya has competed in his first non-title fight in six years, losing to Nassourdine Imavov in Saudi Arabia. His career has been in a downward spiral since the defeat to Strickland.
Currently, Adesanya ranks fifth in the UFC middleweight rankings. Moving forward, potential opponents for Adesanya's comeback fight include Dricus Du Plessis, Nassourdine Imavov, Khamzat Chimaev, and others from the UFC middleweight rankings.
For Strickland, the victory at UFC 293 was a career-defining moment, making him the UFC middleweight champion. However, his reign was short-lived, and Adesanya has since expressed interest in a rematch.
In the wake of his unexpected loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293, Israel Adesanya's career has seen a series of setbacks, including his challenge for the title against Dricus Du Plessis and a loss to Nassourdine Imavov in Saudi Arabia. Despite these defeats, potential rematches against some of his recent opponents, such as Dricus Du Plessis and Nassourdine Imavov, or new challenges like Khamzat Chimaev from the UFC middleweight rankings, might serve as a comeback opportunity for Adesanya in the realm of MMA sports, akin to his past football-like performances.
