Israel Adesanya admits Dana White was right after UFC 293 loss to Sean Strickland

When Israel Adesanya agreed to fight Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in Sydney, it was an act of pride, stubbornness and, as he now admits, perhaps poor judgment. At that moment, Adesanya was once again the king of the middleweight division. He avenged Alex Pereira with a stunning knockout at UFC 287 and reclaimed the throne. He was the overwhelming favorite against Strickland. But the result was a stark reminder that there are no guarantees in MMA.

Strickland dominated him for five rounds and took the belt by unanimous decision. Today, with three losses in a row and his dreams of a new title increasingly distant, "The Last Stylebender" bitterly admits: Dana White was right.

"I was injured, but I said to myself, 'I have to fight in Sydney. I haven't fought here in a long time. The fans. The energy. Coming home.'" And then Dana says to me, "Listen, kid, you've got enough money. Just get some rest." But I was stubborn. And now, looking back, maybe Dana was right," Adesanya said in an interview with Sean O'Malley published on his own YouTube channel.

That loss to Strickland was the beginning of Adesanya's downward spiral. After failing to regain the belt against Dricus du Plessis, he ended up in a non-title fight for the first time in six years—and was knocked out by Nassourdine Imavov in Saudi Arabia, just 30 seconds into the second round.

To get back on his feet, he enlisted the help of former Navy SEAL David Goggins, known for his uncompromising discipline and mental toughness. But the question remains: Where is his career headed?

Opponents

In the current UFC middleweight rankings, Adesanya is fifth, ahead of Khamzat Chimaev, Sean Strickland, Nassourdine Imavov and champion Dricus du Plessis, who defends his belt against Chimaev at UFC 319 in August. The most likely opponent for Adesanya's return would be Strickland in the rematch, but the American recently publicly called out Belal Muhammad, the former challenger for the welterweight belt.

That leaves the likes of Caio Borralho (ranked six), Jared Cannonier (ranked seven) or Roman Dolidze (ranked eight) as the next steps for the "Stylebender". But the fight is no longer a matter of spectacle - but of survival.

Despite everything, Adesanya has no regrets.

- I love these stories. This is the way to go. Opponents, defeats, ups and downs - this is the life of a warrior. I wouldn't change anything. "Adversity is a privilege" – he concluded.