The decline of Israel Adesanya’s reign has become the hottest topic in the MMA world. Once undefeated, the thirty-six-year-old suffered his first career loss in 2021 against Jan Blachowicz, followed by a TKO defeat to Alex Pereira in 2022. Now, after a tough stretch, Adesanya has dropped a tempting hint about his comeback, naming two possible opponents that have already created a huge buzz.
It’s no new news in the MMA world that the Nigerian-New Zealand MMA fighter has been struggling to regain his form. He has endured three consecutive losses in his last battles to Sean Strickland, Dricus Du Plessis, and Nassourdine Imavov.
[TRENDING] Who Is Adesanya Targeting For His Epic Return?
The former UFC middleweight champion is facing his toughest phase, having lost three fights in a row, marking the longest losing streak of his career.
While some fans want him to retire, Adesanya isn’t done yet and has announced his comeback. Speaking with The Sun, he said, “I took some time out to just, you know, chill and let the brain relax. And yeah, I just knew straight away. So I’ve been itchy for a while, bro. I’m ready to go!”
He also revealed his desire to make his comeback by facing Paulo Costa.
“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,” he said.
What rematch is next for Israel Adesanya? pic.twitter.com/DEAq8Ewyp0
— MMA On Point (@OnPointMMA) August 5, 2025
He further added one more name to the list, “And Strickland, if he wants to fight, sure. If not, ahh, it’s alright.”
It will be the most explosive to witness Adesanya against the former rival Paulo Costa and in a rematch with Sean Strickland.
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Why Adesanya’s Eyeing Strickland and Costa?
It was against American fighter Sean Strickland that Israel Adesanya lost his UFC Middleweight Championship. So maybe he is seeking a rematch.
The defeat came at UFC 293 on September 10, 2023, in Sydney, Australia, where Strickland outclassed Adesanya and won by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring it 49–46.
And his target for Costa could be a desire for redemption after losses. Facing a familiar rival like Costa helps him to regain momentum and remind the MMA world of his elite skills.
Not to forget, the Adesanya vs. Costa’s matchup is already well-established with their first clash, a middleweight title fight in 2020, where Adesanya delivered a dominant TKO win.
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Pankaj Kapoor’s Take
In my opinion, champions stumble, but true greatness is defined by how they rise again. And for a great MMA fighter like Israel Adesanya, it’s never too late to rebound.
As shared in the interview, he took some time off to relax and reset.
Now fully recharged, the fighter seems to be ready to conquer anything standing in his way, this time aiming to make a statement with a remarkable victory.
