Leonardo DiCaprio Gets Dragged as Israel Adesanya Teases Retirement Update Ahead of Sean Strickland Fight Demand

UFC Fight Night, Saudi Arabia 2024—with the second round underway, Adesanya hit his stride. He connected with sharp jabs and unleashed a spinning back kick that briefly pushed Nassourdine Imavov back. But then, at the 4:30 mark, the momentum shifted. Imavov fired off a 1-2, capping it with a booming overhand right that landed square on Adesanya’s chin. The ex-champ hit the mat, and Imavov unleashed a flurry of ground shots until the referee jumped in to stop the fight. And it marked the third straight loss for the New Zealand fighter.

Adesanya took a moment in the Octagon to bow to every corner of the arena. It was seen as a sign of goodbye. UFC icon Michael Bisping hinted that Adesanya could be approaching “the beginning of the end” of his career. When pressed on the topic of retirement, Adesanya played it close to the vest, expressing uncertainty.

He said, “I don’t know,” when asked about his plans. “I’ll have to chill and then think about things,” ‘The Last Stylebender‘ said, asking for time to reflect. His brutal weight cut ahead of the fight reportedly left him in tears. It further complicates his future in the sport.

Now, in a dramatic Instagram story, Adesanya shut down the speculation with a single, defiant statement: “I’m not f**king leaving.” The quote reminds us of Leonardo DiCaprio’s confidence in The Wolf of Wall Street. It’s certain; Adesanya isn’t done yet.  His three-fight losing streak remains a glaring concern, but if history has proven anything, it’s that Adesanya thrives when his back is against the wall.

The former middleweight champion reiterated that he is not retiring any sooner. Israel Adesanya made it quite evident following his loss to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305. Dealing with speculation, he said firmly,“I’m doing the right things, and I know all you motherf**kers wanna see me lose, wanna see me down, but watch this … I’m not f**king leaving. I’m not f**king leaving!”

The former 2-time middleweight champion is experiencing peculiar days in the UFC with his 3-fight losing streak—a far cry from the beloved figure who seemed unstoppable in his run-up to the title and for a big part of his championship reign. But if there’s one thing that’s true in the sport of MMA, it’s that Father Time catches up to us all. Still, that doesn’t mean Adesanya doesn’t have that fight inside of him. It’s just that, at this stage of his career, he’ll have to be very careful with who he chooses to stand against, across the Octagon.

As the world waits for ‘The Last Stylebender’ to make his return, the community wonders who his next opponent will be. Rest assured, the Kiwi fighter already has a name in mind. Who is it? Let’s hear it from Adesanya himself.

So who does Israel Adesanya have on his radar for his next fight?

Israel Adesanya has thrown his hat into the ring—Sean Strickland is his preferred opponent for a comeback bout. Following two tough losses, Adesanya is fired up to bounce back against the one who bested him at UFC 293 and has been making headlines with his blunt remarks. “I told Hunter [Campbell] already. I told my coach here, it’s time. I know who, I have a feeling who I wanna fight. You’ll like this one. I can get some get-back: Sean Strickland.”, ‘The Last Stylebender’ said to David Goggins.

The real spark behind his comeback is the personal challenge that Sean Strickland brings to the table. Strickland’s banter and attitude hit a nerve with Adesanya, bringing back echoes of his childhood days spent facing bullies.

Israel Adesanya isn’t hanging up his gloves just yet. He’s rather reviving the fighter inside, the “child” he’s always had in him. “Everything he’s done since that… because I used to get bullied a lot as a kid. So he’s an embodiment of that in a sense. He attacked a young me, the inner child. So, I wanna protect him and get some get-back on him.”

Even when he was asked if there’s an opponent he disliked, on the Pound 4 Pound podcast with Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman, Israel Adesanya named Sean Strickland. And it makes sense, since ‘Tarzan’ beat him over five rounds with a comparatively inferior skill-set. The others—Pereira, Du Plessis, and Imavov, all finished Adesanya. Strickland took him to the judges’ scorecards—that’s more humiliating than being finished.

What do you think? Will Israel Adesanya face Sean Strickland in a rematch? If so, what will be different this time? Let us know in the comments down below.

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