Israel Adesanya congratulates Sean Strickland after their UFC middleweight title bout at UFC 293. Photo / Getty Images
Israel Adesanya congratulates Sean Strickland after their UFC middleweight title bout at UFC 293. Photo / Getty Images
Israel Adesanya has addressed losing the UFC middleweight title in Sydney earlier this month, saying his performance at UFC 293 was like a bad dream.
Adesanya suffered a unanimous decision loss to American challenger Sean Strickland, losing four rounds to one on all three judges’ scorecards.
The two-time middleweight champion struggled to find his rhythm in the bout, was unable to establish his offensive skill set and was constantly pressured by Strickland’s ‘walk forward, take-one-to-give-one’ approach from start to finish.
According to UFC stats, Adesanya was outstruck by Strickland 137-94, and was also knocked down in the first round but recovered from that well.
While the 34-year-old did not say much to the media in his press conference following the loss, after taking some time to reflect on it, he shared his thoughts in a video on his YouTube channel, FreeStylebender.
“It felt like a bad dream; like my arms were noodles,” Adesanya said. “I had no snap. It just felt weird. At one point I knew I had to finish this guy, and I tried. I set him up a couple of times. He defended it well, his corner helped him out and were guiding him well. I was like, ‘Okay, find something, and don’t get caught’. Especially in the last round.
“I don’t like fighting like that. I like fighting to win, and not on the defensive, primarily. In the last round, I was like, ‘Okay, it’s time to go’, but I just couldn’t go.”
While Adesanya didn’t give a long press conference after the fight, he did credit Strickland’s performance, saying the better man on the night won, and doubled down on that after having watched the fight back.
“He never let me get into my rhythm at all,” Adesanya said.
Israel Adesanya struggled to get through the unorthodox defence of Sean Strickland. Photo / Getty Images
“I wasn’t able to get in my rhythm because of his pressure. He was right there constantly, then whenever I was setting him up, his coach would help him.
“It was a good game plan on their end, but also for me, I wasn’t able to adjust on the fly. It was his night and he got it done. I made another dream come true.
“His [defensive] guard is unique and unorthodox, so I wasn’t able to find my jab, and if I’m able to find my jab, I can find the chin – I’m very confident in that. His guard was good – good defence and good offence; a well-rounded game.”
Although he didn’t retain his title, the bout added to Adesanya’s legacy as a champion willing to put their title on the line against anyone at any time. The fight was Adesanya’s 11th title fight in a row and his third in the last 11 months. Of those 11 bouts, he entered eight defending a title – seven times as the undisputed champion, and once entering as the interim champion, unifying the belts against Robert Whittaker in 2019.
While his coach Eugene Bareman indicated the team would be chasing a rematch with Strickland, it remains to be seen what Adesanya’s next move will be.
With 16 total fights since joining the UFC in 2018, many pundits have suggested Adesanya should take some time off after losing his title to allow his body to recover from such a busy schedule.
A simple “we’ll see” was all the former champion offered up when asked when he might be back, before sharing a message to his fans.
“Those who know me and appreciate me, thank you... thank you for supporting me, and keep supporting me. If you want to hop off, feel free to – don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” he said.
“Stick with me, practice patience, and wait for the response.”
