Bad phase, no way! Israel Adesanya remembers why he keeps fighting: 'I almost forgot how good I was'

Israel adesanya enters the octagon in February for the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram

PUBLICITY:

When you enter the octagon in front of Nassourdine Imavov in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia, on February 1, 2025, Israel adesanya will put a lot at stake. The former champion and second in the middleweight ranking (up to 83,9 kg) is coming off a two-fight losing streak. The first of which was against Sean Strickland, which made him give up his title, and the second against the current champion of the category, Dricus Du Plessis.

To make matters worse, images of the Nigerian fighter being knocked down during a training session has further increased the distrust of the MMA community. But none of this seems to shake the confidence of the man who was once the rival of Alex Poatán, facing him as equals.

See too

Brazilian ex-UFC fighter fractures penis during jiu-jitsu training and undergoes surgery

Alex Poatan is mysterious after meeting with the UFC in Las Vegas: 'Look at the boy's smile'

Brandon Royval and Manel Kape to headline UFC Fight Night in March

“I still get paid. There’s still a referee. There’s two of us there. There’s still a crowd. So it’s not in the f—ing Apex or anything. It doesn’t feel any different. I think people are making it seem like they would react to this, but they’re not in my shoes. They’re not in my shorts. In the Dricus fight, I was in great shape. I felt strong as hell, but yeah, there’s definitely room for improvement, and we made those improvements,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel.

At 35 years old, Adesanya will be facing a rising contender. Imavov has won his last three Octagon appearances and could be on the verge of a title shot with a victory over a former champion. However, Adesanya’s main motivation is internal.

“I know he’s dangerous. I know he’s skilled. I like his style. Very well-rounded. … It’s not about him. It’s about me. It’s about getting better. Just writing this chapter. I love the way things are going. It’s about showing what I can really do across the spectrum of mixed martial arts. You got a motherf—er coming at you, trying to rip your head off — you better get up. Because I can. And I’m really, really good at it. I almost forgot how good I was,” he said.

While Adesanya has achieved the vast majority of his goals, there is at least one item he would like to cross off his bucket list before all is said and done.

“I achieved my dreams in this game. I still have a few more dreams to achieve, but the main ones I’ve already [achieved]. I’m definitely going to get a submission. That’s definitely a big one. I don’t even care about the belt. I want to grab someone’s ankle or neck,” concluded the former champion.

Poatan's rival since their kickboxing days, Israel adesanya He has been in the UFC since 2018 and has a record of 24 wins and four losses.