Israel Adesanya Brands David Goggins “Self Proclaimed Psychopath” After Almost Destroying His Health

You can call it a cruel bargain, but it’s a part of the sport of MMA. When you reach the very top of the world, the fall gets steeper. And in that adversity, the toughest and most resilient fighters of this sport are made. Standing on this path right now is the former middleweight champion of the UFC, Israel Adesanya. ‘The Last Stylebender’ once used to be the king of the middleweights, possibly the best 185-pounder of the modern era.

But the UFC is all about the rising competition, and while Adesanya had a firm grip over the old guard of the division, the up-and-coming talents made ‘Izzy’ fall off his pedestal. Most recently, he was knocked out by the new #1 contender for the middleweight title, Nassourdine Imavov, further increasing his losing streak to three and dropping Adesanya to the #4 spot in the rankings for the first time in a long time.

Despite these setbacks, Adesanya remains resolute in his commitment to return to competition. He has officially informed UFC executives of his readiness to fight again, saying, “I’ve officially requested an opponent for my next UFC fight.” And as he aims for a strong return to the Octagon, ‘Izzy’ has spent time training alongside the fitness expert and motivational speaker, David Goggins. In his quest to become the best version of himself, Adesanya has committed himself to the downright absurd exercises and workout regimen that Goggins is famously known for.

In a recent closed room session with the channel Our Yeah, Adesanya sat alongside Dan Hooker, Kai Kara-France, and Eugene Bareman. Talking about his days of hell with Goggins, ‘The Last Stylebender’ revealed, “One thing he did say, which I am taking with me. I went there just because people think it’s an everyday thing. No, I wanted to just feel that bit of weight, and he took me to it. And one thing he said was, ‘Where your world ends, mine begins,’ and I held on to that and that feeling. Yeah, so, I got what I came for.”

While talking about Goggins’ rigid mentality and drive for peak fitness, ‘Izzy’ further added, “He’s chilling, bro. And he’s a self-proclaimed psychopath, and I’m glad he’s doing that rather than burying bodies in the desert, cause, yeah, he’s a madman.”

January 31, 2025, Riyadh, Riyadh, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia: Israel Adesanya steps on the scale for the UFC FN Saudi Arabia: Adesanya vs. Imavov official weigh-ins at Crown Plaza RDC on January 31, 2025, in Riyadh, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia. /PxImages Riyadh Saudi Arabia – ZUMAp175 20250131_zsa_p175_011 Copyright: xDannyxPerezx

So, who is ‘The Last Stylebender’ targeting on this path of vengeance? It could’ve been Dricus Du Plessis who turned the tables on Adesanya and finished him, or maybe even Imavov, but no. Adesanya wants to get back his loss against Sean Strickland.

Israel Adesanya calls out Sean Strickland to avenge his upset loss

The main event of UFC 293 is considered by the majority as the biggest upset loss in the modern era of the UFC. Adesanya, after KO’ing Alex Pereira to reclaim his 185-pound throne, was a heavy favorite to beat the underdog Sean Strickland. However, when the dust settled, a defeated and dominated Adesanya could only see Strickland being crowned with the title he used to have as his very own.

As Adesanya was training alongside Goggins to become his absolute best, he was approached by the MMA journalist, Helen Yee, who asked ‘Izzy’ which rival of his he hated the most. And with vengeance on his mind, Adesanya replied, “I’ll say Sean, Sean was one definitely, yeah.” And this news sent the MMA community ablaze. Speculations and rumors of their fight began spreading, but no official announcement has been made.

While talking about his UFC 293 victory over Israel Adesanya, Sean Strickland once said, “I think I f**ked up Izzy when he lost to me. I think that f**ked his head up a little bit. He was like, ‘This white trash m**f** missing half his leg comes and walks through me without struggle.’ I think that f**ked him up.” , further adding fuel to their fire in the classic Sean Strickland way.

We know Adesanya for his top-tier performances in the face of adversity. And he has all the tools to do it again. The question is, will he be able to beat Strickland in their rematch? For Israel Adesanya, there are no other options, because if he loses, the path forward will only become more uncertain. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.

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