What’s left for Israel Adesanya?
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UFC Saudi Arabia was filled with a roller coaster of emotions. Former middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, suffered a devastating second-round knockout loss to Nassourdine Imavov. Now in uncharted territory, fight fans and pundits are skeptical about the long-time reigning champion’s next step. The legendary two-time champion must fight down the rankings if he stays at middleweight. However, Adesanya’s potential move up to light heavyweight is not off the table.
Remaining Options at Middleweight
Israel Adesanya is now 35 years old and has a record of 1-4 in his last five fights. He must take some time away from the cage and regroup. He and his team must contemplate the remaining fight options at middleweight. Now, Adesanya finds himself outside the title talks for the first time since 2018.
Dricus Du Plessis, Sean Strickland, Khamzat Chimaev, Caio Borralho, Robert Whittaker, and Nassourdine Imavov are top fighters in the division. However, Adesanya is unlikely to fight one of them next. The former champion will likely have to look further down the rankings. This is where his past success becomes an obstacle for matchmakers. A few ranked middleweights like Jared Cannonier and Paulo Costa have already lost to Adesanya once. Some, like Whittaker and Marvin Vettori, have even lost twice. If he decides to stay at middleweight, potential opponents include Brendan Allen, Roman Dolidze and Anthony Hernandez. But there are only a few likely candidates for Adesanya’s return to the cage.
The former champion would need to string together at least two wins in a row to get in title contention. This would be necessary to warrant title talks again.
Potentially Returning to Light Heavyweight
After successfully defending his middleweight title twice, the former two-time UFC middleweight champion could try his hand at light heavyweight again. He previously faced defending champion, Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259 in March 2021. He came up short in the double-championship clash; the more experienced natural light heavyweight, Blachowicz, beat the elite kickboxer at his own game. Blachowicz did well against Adesanya on the feet, and also dominated the grappling exchanges on the canvas. At the end of five rounds, Blachowicz won the decision unanimously.
Four years later, Adesanya’s next best career decision might involve fresh faces and matchups in a new weight class. If he moves up, expect Adesanya to face higher stakes. He would probably fight top-five ranked opponents. This would be more intense than what he would face at middleweight. Adesanya’s rival, Alex Pereira, has reigned supreme over the light heavyweight division since moving up after their last matchup. He has quickly racked up wins over Blachowicz, Jiri Prochazka, Jamahal Hill, and Khalil Rountree Jr. However, an entry of Adesanya may shake things up.
One potential foil in Adesanya’s plans to move up to light heavyweight is his teammate, friend, and training partner, Carlos Ulberg. One could assume that given Adesanya’s age and accomplishments within the sport, he may defer to the younger Ulberg. He may feel obligated to let his friend seize the opportunity.
What do you think is next for Israel Adesanya? Let us know in the comments below.
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