•Fans tell two-time champion to retire
Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has vowed to return to the octagon despite suffering his third consecutive defeat and second career knockout loss against Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Fight Night 250 in Saudi Arabia, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Nigerian-born New Zealander took to social media after the devastating second-round TKO loss, displaying his characteristic resilience.
“As real as it gets, @ufc. Rolled the dice…snake eyes. I’ll be back, gone to get some milk,” Adesanya wrote.
The 35-year-old entered the bout looking to snap his first-ever consecutive losing streak, having lost his title to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 before suffering another defeat to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305 last August.
However, his comeback bid was violently halted by the surging French contender.
Despite starting well with a series of hard low kicks that rattled Imavov’s lead leg, Adesanya found himself in trouble late in the first round when his opponent landed a stiff shovel hook that snapped his head back.
The former champion also absorbed a huge right hand in the closing moments but appeared to weather the storm.
The end came swiftly after the second round began as Imavov, who entered the contest on a three-fight winning streak, dropped Adesanya with a massive right hand.
The Dagestani-born fighter followed up with a left uppercut and a barrage of ground strikes, forcing referee Marc Goddard to stop the contest.
The loss marks the first time Adesanya has competed without a UFC championship on the line in six years and 12 fights. His professional record now stands at 24 wins with 16 knockouts and four defeats in his 13-year MMA career.
Three of those defeats have come in the space of just 12 months.
Prior to the fight, Adesanya had dismissed concerns about his future, telling Stake.com, “I’m always in the title picture. That’s because I’m Israel Adesanya, and I’ve done so much in this game.”
The defeat has sparked mixed reactions from fans, with some calling for his retirement while others remain supportive of the former champion.
“Izzy, you got nothing left to prove brother! Leave the game. I know you still physically got it but you know you don’t have the fire for it anymore. Your mind isn’t in it,” fan Primal Jay wrote on X.
Another fan, @contrarianturk, added, “You will always be a legend, time to hang it up.”
However, Joe Sobran offered a different perspective saying, “Always a champion, already a legend and probably the most well liked UFC superstar of the people I know.
“It’s one thing to like a guy, it’s another to admire how they handle the ups and downs of life.”
While some fans pleaded for his retirement, others praised his performance and encouraged him to continue.
“You looked sharp tonight. Great reactions, great movement, and absolutely terrific anti-wrestling. You got caught slipping after an interruption. Everyone gets caught. It’s part of the game. Rest up & get straight back to it. You’ve gone nowhere, champ!” Ciana Flow commented.
Kevin Bones praised Adesanya’s sportsmanship stating, “You got caught. That’s the game. It’s always a pleasure to watch you perform. Being humble in defeat is a big lesson to these younger guys.”
The former champion had made significant changes to his preparation ahead of the fight, which headlined UFC’s second event in Saudi Arabia and would regret that it wasn’t enough to secure the win.
For Imavov (15-4), it was the biggest victory of his career, potentially putting him in line for a title shot following previous wins over Roman Dolidze, Jared Cannonier and Brendan Allen.
While Adesanya’s future remains uncertain, particularly after recently sparking speculation by jokingly referring to himself as a “gatekeeper” in the sport, his resilient response suggests the former champion isn’t ready to walk away just yet.
“Keep your head up, champ. We true fans know you’re legend,” fan Angelo Wong wrote, echoing the sentiments of many who believe ‘The Last Stylebender’ still has more to offer in the octagon.
