Izzy’s Future
I’m not f*cking leaving. – Israel Adesanya
Izzy fans are in bits. Their beloved ‘Stylebender’ made his highly anticipated return to the octagon this past weekend. Still, a round-four submission defeat to the middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis put the former 185lb king on the first losing streak of his pro tenure.
Follow us on Telegram for the latest buzz! 🐝
Post-UFC 305 scenes have been filled with Israel Adesanya haters trolling his loyal fan base, but aged 35, is it time for the Nigerian-born New Zealand to hang up the gloves? Or does he have more in-cage violence to deliver?
Noooo Izzy!!!! #UFC305 pic.twitter.com/chwy9kqfcX
— ★ ᴍʏᴛʜɪᴄ 𝖩𝖺𝗒𖤐 (@MyDolo_Lonely) August 18, 2024
Dricus Du Plessis Defeats Israel Adesanya
Adesanya looked great! Let’s not bullsh*t just because he lost, shall we?
Whether you love or hate him, there was a reason why Izzy’s year-long layoff presented a strong desire for his octagon return inside the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, at UFC 305 this past Saturday evening, and he reminded us why until an unfortunate fourth-round rear-naked choke loss.
Israel Adesanya has been in MMA for more than 12 years and this is the first time he’s been submitted and lost two straight fights.
Unreal from The Last Stylebender 👏 #UFC305 pic.twitter.com/jFBb5wo49v
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) August 18, 2024
He looked slick on the feet, seemed healthy and as defensively sound as ever, and most importantly, he was delivering those precise long-range kickboxing combinations that put his fighting style on the map.
Adesanya was seemingly gaining momentum during the third and the first half of the fourth round. He owned the higher number of significant strikes landed compared to DDP (97), and although he’d suffered a handful of takes, he faced minimal complications returning to his feet.
Personally, I believe the body shots Izzy landed on Du Plessis could’ve been the difference-maker. Unfortunately, and in the true meme style of DDP, despite looking lethargic, the South African pulled a trick out of the bag, grounded Izzy, and locked in an RNC for the finish.
‘The Last Stylebender’ lost, but he looked as good, and although the result didn’t go his way, he proved his potential to still compete with the middleweight’s elite.
Israel Adesanya. Two-time UFC Middleweight Champion. Five successful title defenses. 8 title fight wins. Once 20-0 in MMA. Undefeated from 2012 to 2021. 2019 fighter of the year. Only man to beat Alex Pereira in the UFC. Future hall-of-famer, The Last Stylebender. pic.twitter.com/9gL55VLm0p
— Full Violence ™ (@Full_Violence) August 18, 2024
Adesanya UFC Rumors on Retirement
Prior to UFC 305, the rumor mill within UFC news suggested that Adesanya might never return to active competition if he lost.
This nonsense was instantly put to bed as UFC commentator Daniel Cormier questioned the former two-time middleweight champ during the post-fight interview about those retirement rumors.
Quoting The Wolf Of Wall Street, Izzy screamed: “I’m not f*cking leaving.”
What’s Next for ‘Stylebender’
Now that we know retirement isn’t on the cards for Izzy, it’s time to get excited about his return to non-title action. Do you remember the last time Adesanya wasn’t a titleholder? He ran through seven consecutive opponents, including former champions and title challengers such as Marvin Vettori, Anderson Silva, and Kelvin Gastelum.
“When we have to fight again, I’m going to kill you.” 💥 Adesanya may have tapped out, but is he really finished? What’s next for Israel Adesanya?
“When you see me, you’ll see me. It’s not gonna be like you’ll see me in 3 months”
(📹@ChampRDS)pic.twitter.com/aOBubdfXId
— BetUS Sportsbook & Casino (@BetUS_Official) August 19, 2024
He might not have the gold, but that star power is ever-present. That said, a long list of names could be Adesanya’s first non-title fight in five years:
- Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker II
- Adesanya vs. Khamzat Chimaev
- Adesanya vs. Paulo Costa II
- Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira III
- Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov
Any of those aforementioned fights get me excited. Still, I think I speak for everyone when I say Adesanya taking on Pereira at 205 lbs in a trilogy bout gets the blood flowing like no other.
Comments (0)