Israel Adesanya has been quite active, competing five times in less than two years. While the outcomes were not all ideal – he initially lost the title to Alex Pereira before regaining it in a rematch, and unexpectedly dropped the belt to Sean Strickland.
There is speculation that burnout may have contributed to the defeat. According to Adesanya’s coach Eugene Bearman, maintaining focus like a champion might have prevented burnout for “The Last Stylebender”.
Bearman stated, “No, Israel will not burn out with three or four battles a year.” He also mentioned that maintaining a certain lifestyle is crucial for remaining a top-level champion in their sport and suggested Adesanya should focus on his goals for the period between matches.
Bearman also addressed the loss to Strickland directly, questioning whether Strickland’s success was due to his own performance or Adesanya’s shortcomings.
He expressed his desire to prove his ability to win against any style and emphasized that Strickland is not an extraordinary fighter, and the rematch will reveal other factors that influenced the outcome of their first fight.
Adesanya is expected to make a return in 2024, but details are scarce at this point. It remains uncertain whether his next match will be against Doricus du Plessis or Sean Strickland at UFC 300, as no official date has been disclosed.
