Israel Adesanya isn’t going to attend round on Sean Strickland.
A former two-time UFC middleweight champion, Adesanya is at present on the worst run of his profession, shedding his previous three fights. The beginning of that shedding streak was his stunning upset loss to Strickland at UFC 293, the place he dropped the title in one of many greatest upsets in latest title historical past. Since then, the concept of a rematch between Adesanya and Strickland has been recurrently floated as an possibility, however just lately it gathered new steam when Adesanya began known as for the bout this yr. However with no motion on that entrance, “The Final Stylebender” says he’s shifting on.
“I’m not stunned,” Adesanya informed Submission Radio. “If you wish to get one thing accomplished proper, do it proper the primary time. That’s the lesson I realized. And he’s doing different issues in his personal life. He made the cash he wished to make. However once more, me as nicely, I don’t wish to be ready round. I’ve moved on. I simply wish to struggle.
“So I’ll struggle — we’ll see. I simply wish to struggle however we’ll see.”
Strickland shouldn’t be on the best run proper now both. Following his title win over Adesanya, the controversial fighter dropped the title to Dricus du Plessis in his subsequent bout, received a lackluster resolution over Paulo Costa a number of months later, after which misplaced once more to du Plessis earlier this yr.
On prime of that, Strickland additionally obtained suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Fee for attacking a fighter whereas coach at a Tuff-N-Uff occasion in June. Strickland’s suspension expires on Dec. 29, although he can have that lowered to mid-October if he completes an anger administration course authorised by the fee.
Both method, the delay and Strickland’s seeming lack of curiosity within the rematch has Adesanya targeted on any one of many myriad different middleweight contenders.
“Undoubtedly,” Adesanya mentioned about probably preventing Anthony Hernandez, who just lately fell out of a scheduled reserving with Reinier de Ridder. “I’m simply staying prepared for everybody and anybody.”
