Adesanya Takes UFC Break

Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has announced a sabbatical from fighting professionally a month after losing his belt but promised to return to the sport.

The Kiwi fighter lost his middleweight championship to Sean Strickland by unanimous decision in Sydney in September in one of the biggest upsets MMA has ever seen.

Now the 34-year-old Lagos-born fighter has revealed plans for an extended exit from UFC to regroup, change his lifestyle and prepare himself for the future, following his third competitive defeat in the UFC.

“I’m not making any excuses. Strickland got me on the night because he was the better fighter on the night, and he did his work well. He had a good team behind him. Now I’m going to take time to look after myself. I’m not going to fight for a long time. I’m definitely not going to retire, because that’s not me,” Adesanya told The Rock FM in his native New Zealand.

“But if I did, I’m fine. I don’t need to prove anything else. But I know what I can do, and I know what I can change in my lifestyle to make my body adapt to where I need to be. I’m going to heal myself up, you won’t see me fight for a long time.”