Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has expressed his desire to return to the Octagon before the end of 2024, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Nigerian-born fighter, who recently dropped out of the UFC pound-for-pound rankings for the first time in five years, is eager to prove he still has what it takes to compete at the highest level.
Adesanya’s exclusion from the rankings came after his submission loss to South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305, where he failed in his bid to reclaim the middleweight title. The defeat marked Adesanya’s second consecutive loss, following a shocking upset against Sean Strickland that cost him the belt.
Despite these setbacks, ‘The Last Stylebender’ remains optimistic about his future in the sport. In a recent interview, Adesanya revealed his comeback plans.
He said, “Right now, after I just fought him (Du Plessis), I don’t think it’s going to be immediately. I’d rather just fight—not really for the belt, just fight for fighting’s sake. I want to fight one more time before the end of this year or early next year.”
The 35-year-old fighter’s coach, Eugene Bareman, has also hinted at a potential return in 2024. Bareman disclosed that Adesanya has remained active, training with other fighters at City Kickboxing.
Adesanya’s focus appears to be on regaining his form rather than immediately challenging for the title. He expressed interest in seeing how upcoming fights in the middleweight division unfold, including the potential clash between Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis, as well as the bout between Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev.
“I’m just training, building up where we left off. I’ll get the call at some point with a few options. I think Dana will hit me up at some point,” he said.
While Adesanya contemplates his next move, the middleweight division continues to evolve. The likes of Islam Makhachev and Alex Pereira now occupy the top spots in the pound-for-pound rankings, with Aljamain Sterling replacing Adesanya in the list.
