Sports
Israel Adesanya Drops Out Of UFC Pound-For-Pound Rankings
The Nigerian-born fighter, a consistent presence in the UFC’s top 15 for years, now faces uncertainty as he considers his next steps in the sport.
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Adesanya’s drop from the rankings comes after his defeat at UFC 305, where Du Plessis submitted him in the fourth round of their eagerly awaited middleweight title bout. This loss followed a year-long break after Adesanya lost his title to Sean Strickland in a stunning upset.
Known for his striking skills and charismatic style, Adesanya was aiming to reclaim the middleweight title but was outmanoeuvred by Du Plessis, who capitalized on a ground-game mistake to secure a rear-naked choke submission.
Adesanya, who had been a fixture in the pound-for-pound top 10 since September 2019, has now been replaced by Aljamain Sterling. The top spots are currently held by Islam Makhachev and Alex Pereira.
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Despite this setback, sources close to Adesanya suggest that the rankings are not his main concern. His focus is on proving himself again and potentially staging a comeback.
While his future in the division is uncertain, his coach, Eugene Bareman, has hinted at a possible return in 2024, indicating that ‘The Last Stylebender’ may not be finished yet. Bareman also mentioned that Adesanya has remained active, training with other fighters from City Kickboxing, and could make a comeback this year.
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