Israel Adesanya provides major update on UFC return and opens door to two mega fights amid fans' calls for retirement
The former long-reigning UFC middleweight champion is currently on a three-fight skid, the worst of his professional MMA career.
7
7
7
7
Back-to-back title fight defeats to Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis in September 2023 and last August put the Nigerian-born New Zealander in uncharted territory.
And a shock second-round TKO loss to Nassourdine Imavov in February raised further doubts over the fan favourite's fighting future.
Adesanya, 36, quickly dismissed the prospect of retirement but insisted he wouldn't rush back into the cage.
But a brief period of R&R, 'The Last Stylebender' is "ready" to make the walk to the octagon again.
In an exclusive interview with SunSport ahead of his induction into the UFC Hall of Fame, Adesanya said: "Oh yeah [the itch has returned].
'I sparred with Kamaru [Usman] in Miami when Volk [Alexander Volkanovski] got his belt back.
'And that was my first sparring back.
"I took some time out to just, you know, chill and let the brain relax.
7
'And yeah, I just knew straight away. So I've been itchy for a while, bro. I'm ready to go!'
At this moment in time, there are two standout opponents for what many believe will be a must-win next outing for Adesanya.
The first is fellow former 185lbs champion Strickland, who pulled off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history in their Sydney showdown two years ago.
The second is the resurgent Paulo Costa, who got back to winning ways last month at UFC 318 against Roman Kopylov.
Like the controversial and outspoken Strickland, Adesanya has history with Brazilian bruiser Costa.
Adesanya emerged victorious from their clash of undefeated middleweights on Fight Island in September 2020, stopping 'Borrachina' in the second round of their Abu Dhabi dust-up.
Rematches with both men intrigue the former champion, who recently told SunSport he's over the "halfway point" of his MMA career.
7
7
He said: "I think Paulo was going to fight this weekend.
"If he had won, I bet you he would've said something stupid.
"And I don't have to say much. I'd be like, 'Cool, alright, that sounds fun'.
"And give him a chance at redemption like people have done for me as well.
"And Strickland, if he wants to fight, sure. If not, ahh [shrugs his shoulders] it's alright."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Wallabies can take heart from Lions series for litmus Tests against South Africa
If Australian rugby is to take a key learning from the British & Irish Lions tour and adopt a credo for the upcoming Rugby Championship and the road to the 2027 World Cup, Will Skelton nailed it at half-time on Saturday: 'We don't take no itshay.' The 203cm, 145kg colossus's performance was as big as he was in the Wallabies' stirring victory in Sydney. But Skelton's fighting words to his team - 'Keep fighting. Keep fighting for each other. Keep fighting for the jersey' - and the pig Latin catchcry that followed was a crudity that offered perfect clarity to Joe Schmidt's team. By taking no shit from the Lions – showing aggression, attacking from every angle, hurting their enemy in mind and body – Australia rattled their opposition and won ascendancy. Unlike in Brisbane where they found fire only when 24-5 down, or Melbourne where they let the initiative slip when leading 23-5, the Wallabies this time showed the ruthless edge fans have waited so long for, leading for all 80 minutes. As they set their jaws for the flight to South Africa on Friday and twin litmus Tests against the world champions, Australia should be confident of upsetting rugby's No 1 side. The Springboks have only lightly tuned up for this series with two cantered victories against Italy (No 10) and one over Georgia (No 11). Conversely, the Wallabies are fit and full of fire after smashing the Lions and finding their mongrel mojo. The touring squad Schmidt names on Thursday must be as bold as his Sydney 23. He will be without his two first-pick flyhalves, with young Tom Lynagh ruled out with another concussion after being illegally cleared out in Sydney, and Noah Lolesio out for the season with a neck injury sustained in the Fiji Test in July. He may also lose his preferred half Jake Gordon to the hamstring twinges that cost him an appearance in the third Test. That means the axis of attack in South Africa will again fall to unfamiliar alchemies being forged in the Test furnace. Ben Donaldson will get his chance to start at No 10, after coming off the bench in Brisbane and Sydney, with veteran James O'Connor, 35, the likely wildcard on the pine. Nic White's call to retire post-Sydney inspired his side but the little general might be needed for two last outings against the Springboks. Vitally, back-to-back John Eales medallist Rob Valetini will tour. But it is Skelton's name that must be first on the team sheet. Without him and Valetini in the Lions opener in Brisbane, Australia looked timid and tepid. Yet in every minute Skelton was on the field in the Tests that followed, the Wallabies were bossing the scoreboard. Skelton neatly encapsulates the enigma of Australian rugby this past decade. Born in New Zealand to Samoan parents, he was raised in western Sydney and played rugby league for most of his early years before finding union in his mid-teens. Unlike most, he stuck at it, was brought into the Waratahs fold by mentor Michael Cheika aged 21 (his second start was against the 2013 Lions) and won a Test debut in 2014. Skelton's size 17s walked out on Australia in 2017. With Saracens in the UK and, more recently, La Rochelle in France's Top 14, he has since won four European Championships. For six years, as Australian rugby hit the skids and their biggest stars joined the exodus overseas, Skelton existed as the Wallabies' lost colossus. Not until 2021 – 1,814 days after his last Test – did he return to the XXXXL gold jersey. A mixed bag of international cameos since then has gradually roused the sleeping giant. Yet at age 33 he has played only 33 Tests. This fortnight has shown the power Skelton wields to inspire his teammates while intimidating their enemies. Now the big man is rolling, the juggernaut must continue. Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion Schmidt is schmoozing Skelton to delay his return to France to fly on to South Africa. And Rugby Australia chiefs, CEO Phil Waugh and high performance boss Peter Horne, have told the coach there is 'no impediment to select whoever he wants' from Australians playing around the world. Horne says the Giteau Law – in which only overseas players with 60 Tests could be selected for Test duty – is 'redundant'. Former Wallaby Quade Cooper has long reckoned, 'if we want to compete with the world we need to select the world's best players, regardless of where they play'. It is likely too late to keep three stars of the Sydney Test from heading abroad – Taniela Tupou is joining Racing 92 while man of the match Tom Hooper is off to Exeter and Langi Gleeson to Montpellier – but after years of selecting only home-based talent and not stars plying their trade abroad, the gates are at last open to the barbarians. That includes Skelton. With him at the helm, Australia can challenge South Africa at home, put Argentina to the sword in Townsville and Sydney and even wrest back the Bledisloe Cup from New Zealand for the first time since 2002. And that's no itshay.
The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Oleksandr Usyk's ex-promoter delivers verdict on potential Jake Paul fight
Oleksandr Usyk 's business partner and former promoter, Alex Krassyuk, has condemned a potential fight between the Ukrainian great and Jake Paul – after Usyk and the YouTube star faced off at Wembley. Krassyuk said that in this new world of crossover boxing, a fight with Paul is something that gets seriously discussed, but he appealed for it not to be in a boxing ring. Krassyuk told World Boxing News: 'This fight is widely discussed now, but it can't be a boxing match as it is a homicide." Paul has become an unlikely name in boxing, transitioning from a young YouTube star to a professional boxer, ranked in the top 15 of the WBA cruiserweight rankings. He is coming off the two highest-profile wins of his career against a 58-year-old Mike Tyson and the former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Despite his progress, Krassyuk said that even if the fight were under MMA rules, Paul would stand an equally small chance of survival, but sees the financial gain from the fight as attractive enough for the undisputed heavyweight champion to consider. He said: 'Even a cage fight does not leave chances for the young YouTuber. But money talks. And this event can generate some serious numbers.' Usyk's future has been uncertain since he made history and became a three-time undisputed champion, knocking out Daniel Dubois at Wembley on 19 July. After that fight, Paul entered the ring to face off with Usyk. The WBO have ordered negotiations between him and the interim champion, Joseph Parker, but Usyk has nothing left to prove, and Krassyuk said he will encourage his friend to retire. Krassyuk concluded: 'I don't see him fighting anymore, at least in boxing. He has proved it all, there's nothing more to gain. For sure, there're going to be some dossers around pushing him to the ring again. As a friend, I will do my best to convince him to retire.' Watch Itauma vs Whyte live on DAZN
The Sun
4 hours ago
- The Sun
The Ashes rights snapped up by major broadcaster but it could be a terrible omen for England
ENGLAND will once again not be shown on Sky Sports during The Ashes in Australia. A rival broadcaster has stepped in to cover the event, after already agreeing terms for the ODI tours of New Zealand and Sri Lanka which come beforehand and afterwards. 1 TNT Sports have agreed a one-year deal with Cricket Australia to show the full Ashes series. And that could be a bad omen for Ben Stokes' side. TNT Sports - under its previous name BT Sport - showed live coverage of the last two tours to Australia, with England losing both Ashes series 4-0. The broadcaster also showed England's 4-1 series defeat in India last winter. But its coverage was less than popular as they hosted the first Test without even having a studio, as presenter Matt Floyd was forced to simply talk over the highlights during the Lunch and Tea breaks. The channel then rushed to put a studio together in the Netherlands, from which Alastair Cook and Steven Finn provided analysis. TNT will be sending a team to Australia to cover The Ashes live from the event. However, the channel will use live coverage from the local broadcaster. Sky Sports has been scaling back its coverage of cricket's winter tours in recent years. In addition, a number of Sky Sports News presenters were let go over the summer as the channel moves to focus on its Premier League football coverage. TNT snapping up the Ashes means Sky Sports will not be showing the England men's team between this September and June next year, when the three-Test series with New Zealand gets underway.
