Adesanya recalls his reign in the UFC middleweight division, mentions Chimaev, and criticizes the lack of recognition.

Adesanya celebrates his UFC victory. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC

The former middleweight champion (up to 83,9 kg) Israel adesanya He commented on his dominant period in the UFC and didn't hold back in his criticism of the division's current state. In a recent statement, the Nigerian fighter asserted that his fight frequency during his reign wasn't properly recognized by fans and stated... Khamzat Shimaev in the middle of the story.

In an interview with ESPN, Israel analyzed the current state of the division, citing Chimaev as an example. Although the Russian was quite active before winning the belt, Adesanya highlighted that the current champion now faces difficulties maintaining the same pace, whether due to bureaucratic issues or physical problems, something that didn't happen with the Nigerian. The eternal rival of Alex Poatán It also reinforced his importance in the past, as he stepped into the octagon more frequently to provide a show for the fans.

“Look at the middleweight division now. Khamzat was a very active guy, he fought a lot. Now that he’s champion, several problems arise: visa issues, injuries… The last active champion was me. The last guy who put the belt on the line at any moment was me.”

"People didn't appreciate it until now. I didn't appreciate it either. But now I think, 'Wow, the game is slow and stagnant without me.' That's all I can say: people don't realize how slow the sport becomes. They don't realize how much I gave when I was there," said Adesanya.

😥Israel adesanya says people didn't appreciate his activity while he was the champion

“Look at the middleweight division now. The last active champion was me. People didn't appreciate it until now. This game is slow and stuck without me.”

via @spnmma

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Israel Adesanya's current form in MMA.

Israel adesanya He has a record of 24 wins and five losses in his professional career. The 36-year-old Nigerian has a fight scheduled against joe pyfer at UFC Fight Night 271, on March 28th, in Seattle (USA). Currently ranked fourth in the division, this is a great opportunity for the former champion to once again compete for a title shot.