Israel Adesanya remembers a dialog with Dana White that proved to be prophetic.
Previous to Adesanya’s title protection in opposition to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September 2023, the UFC CEO warned Adesanya that his degree of exercise and willingness to tackle any opponent might be catching as much as him. Adesanya went on to lose a lopsided choice to Strickland, which marked the top of his second middleweight championship reign and the beginning of a career-worst, three-fight stoop.
Adesanya recalled the alternate on a latest episode of his Younger Man Ramble present.
“I used to be like, ‘No, I’ve to combat in Sydney. I’ve to combat. I haven’t fought on this aspect of the world in so lengthy,’” Adesanya mentioned. “After which Dana was like, ‘Hear, child. You’ve obtained sufficient cash. Simply sit back for a short time.’
“So I used to be like, ‘Nah.’ I went all cussed, after which in hindsight I’m like perhaps Dana was proper. Perhaps I ought to have simply chilled. However once more, look, I like these tales. That is the way it’s alleged to occur. Adversity is a privilege. Amen.”
Since that loss, Adesanya has struggled to get again on observe. He was granted an opportunity to develop into a three-time champion at UFC 305, however was submitted by rival Dricus du Plessis, after which misplaced his first non-title combat since 2019 when he was stopped by Nassourdine Imavov this previous February.
At 35, “The Final Stylebender” has made it clear he plans to be extra selective along with his remaining fights, and he’d like one in all them to be Strickland sometime.
“Undoubtedly,” Adesanya mentioned when requested by visitor Sean O’Malley if he nonetheless needs a rematch with Strickland. “That’s on my record. However once more, not for anybody else, only for myself as a result of [my brother] form of let one of many cats out the bag in regards to the exercise and my physique and whatnot and all of us go into fights banged up, however that one I used to be identical to… We’ve completed the work, I’ve taken my time to heal myself and stuff and I’m solely preventing, what, two, perhaps 3 times a yr.
“The Strickland one for me, it’s identical to, I simply wish to know he beat one of the best model of me. Then I’m, like, cool.”
