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It seems Israel Adesanya is gearing up for a return to the octagon, setting the stage for an anticipated showdown later this year. The former UFC middleweight champion is expected to challenge his rival and new champion, Dricus du Plessis, with the promotion reportedly targeting UFC 305 on August 18 in Perth, Western Australia.
Adesanya recently took to his YouTube channel, “The Last Stylebender,” to discuss his potential return. He shared insights into the new elements of his strength and conditioning program and revealed a fresh mindset for his fighting career.
“How excited am I to get back in the octagon? I’m excited,” Adesanya said. “I’m excited, it’s been a year — almost a year, like 11 months by the time I get back in the octagon. People are like, ‘Oh, I hope you get the belt back, I hope you get the belt back,’ I have belts. I don’t need any more belts. I’m coming for heads. That’s what I want to do."
In his most recent bout, Adesanya lost the middleweight title to Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 293 this past September. This marked his second loss in his past three fights. After initially losing the title to multi-time opponent Alex Pereira at UFC 281 in November 2022, Adesanya bounced back with a brutal knockout win over Pereira five months later at UFC 287.
Dricus du Plessis, Adesanya’s expected opponent, has been on an impressive nine-fight winning streak. He captured the middleweight gold at UFC 297 in January, defeating Strickland via split decision.
Adesanya's approach to his return has been measured and deliberate. He promises that when he steps back into the octagon, it will be in an emphatic fashion.
“I’m excited to come back, but everything comes at its own time,” Adesanya said. “So right now it’s just the time for training, chilling, working, relaxing, healing. And then when it’s time, time for killing.”
With Adesanya’s focus sharpened and his determination renewed, fans can expect a thrilling battle when “The Last Stylebender” steps back into the cage, aiming not just for belts, but for the heads of his opponents.
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