Israel Adesanya recounts a discussion with Dana White that proved quite insightful, almost prophetic in retrospect.
Prior to Adesanya`s middleweight title defense against Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September 2023, the UFC CEO reportedly cautioned him that his demanding fight schedule and willingness to face any challenger might be catching up to him. Adesanya ultimately lost the fight via a clear decision, marking the end of his second reign as champion and starting a challenging period with three consecutive losses.
Adesanya spoke about this particular exchange on a recent episode of his show, titled *Young Man Ramble*.
He recalled saying, “No, I need to fight in Sydney. I have to compete. It`s been so long since I fought on this side of the world.” He continued, describing White`s response: “And then Dana was like, `Listen, kid. You have plenty of money. Just take it easy for a while.`”
Adesanya admitted, “So I was like, `Nah.` I got stubborn about it, and looking back, I think maybe Dana was right. Maybe I should have just taken a break. But then again, you know, I appreciate these moments, these stories. This is how things are meant to unfold. Adversity is a privilege, indeed.”
Since that loss, Adesanya has struggled to regain his winning momentum. He received an opportunity to become a three-time champion at UFC 305 but was submitted by his rival Dricus du Plessis. Then, in February, he suffered his first non-title fight loss since 2019, being stopped by Nassourdine Imavov.
Now 35 years old, “The Last Stylebender” has stated his intention to be more selective about his remaining fights. He expressed a desire for a rematch with Strickland at some point in the future.
When asked by guest Sean O’Malley if a rematch with Strickland was still on his radar, Adesanya affirmed, “Definitely, that`s on my list.” He clarified his motivation: “But again, not for anyone else, just for myself because [my brother] kind of let one of the cats out of the bag about the activity and my body and all that. We all go into fights with injuries, but that one… We`ve done the work, I`ve taken time to heal myself and everything, and I`m only planning to fight, what, maybe two or three times a year now.”
Regarding the potential Strickland rematch, Adesanya concluded, “For me, it’s simply that I want to know he truly beat the absolute best version of me. Then I’d feel satisfied.”
