Former UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya has set his sights on a rematch with Sean Strickland, the fighter who ended his second title reign.
Adesanya has endured a turbulent spell in his otherwise stellar career, suffering three consecutive defeats—the first losing streak of his combat sports journey.
Yet, the 34-year-old insists he remains motivated and focused, driven by a sense of unfinished business.
“I know who, I have a feeling who I want to fight,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel.
“I have to get some get back. Strickland. I’m going to get him back.”
The rivalry with Strickland began in Sydney, where Strickland shocked the MMA world by dominating Adesanya over five rounds and winning via unanimous decision to claim the UFC middleweight belt.
Since that upset, Adesanya has taken time to reflect on his performance, acknowledging the defeat but also identifying areas he believes he can exploit in a rematch.
“I’m quietly confident,” Adesanya added.
“That’s after watching the fight. I was like, ‘Oh yeah, I see [what went wrong].’”
Sonnen: “He fights out of anger”
Prominent MMA analyst and former fighter Chael Sonnen weighed in on Adesanya’s mindset, describing his fighting drive as deeply emotional rather than materialistic.
“You must understand one thing: he does not fight for world championships. He does not fight for money. He does not fight for fame. He fights out of anger,” Sonnen said.
“The one Izzy you don’t want to see—it’s not the one that trained hard or trained in New Zealand or that was drinking a little bit in between or went and found David Goggins.”
“That’s not the one you have to care about. You got to care about the Izzy that’s mad at you. Then you have a problem.”
Uncertainty Over Adesanya’s Future
Despite his clear desire for a rematch, questions persist about Adesanya’s future in the sport.
His longtime coach Eugene Bareman recently acknowledged the possibility of retirement being on the table.
“I don’t know what he’s doing next but that’s a good place to be,” Bareman said.
“If he’s going to fight again, then he’s going to fight again. If he’s not, we’ve been blessed, I’ve been blessed, the world’s been blessed, the team’s been blessed. But it’s completely up to him (to make a decision about retiring).”
Strickland, now ranked No. 2 in the middleweight division after losing the title to Dricus du Plessis, has remained respectful despite the tension between the two fighters.
He has acknowledged Adesanya’s legacy and influence on the sport, further setting the stage for what could be one of the UFC’s most anticipated rematches.
