Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has ruled out a rematch with Sean Strickland, declaring he has “moved on” from the American who handed him a shock defeat in September 2023.
The Nigerian-born New Zealander has not fought since being brutally knocked out by Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Saudi Arabia in February and is currently gearing up for his return to the Octagon.
Adesanya, a former two-time UFC middleweight champion, suffered a massive upset defeat to Strickland in September 2023, dropping the 185lbs title to the American after five rounds.
He then failed to reclaim it against Dricus du Plessis in the main event of UFC 305 and has since lost again to Imavov in a fight that was tipped to get him back into the winning column.
The 36-year-old is currently on a three-fight losing streak in Dana White’s promotion – the worst form of his entire career.
Following his defeat to Imavov, Adesanya insisted he wanted to get one back on Strickland. However, it appears the fighter known as ‘The Last Stylebender’ has tired of waiting for a response.
Ahead of UFC Perth this past weekend, Adesanya spoke with Submission Radio and was asked whether he was surprised at the lack of noise on the rematch from Strickland’s end.
I’m not surprised,” Adesanya responded. “If you want to get something done right, do it right the first time. That’s the lesson I learned. He’s doing other things in his own life. He made the money he wanted to make.
“But again, me as well, I don’t want to be waiting around. I’ve moved on. I just want to fight. So I will fight — we’ll see.”
Adesanya will be hoping his next UFC fight can put him back in contention for one last crack at gold. There are plenty of contenders in the middleweight division right now to challenge newly crowned champion Khamzat Chimaev, and ‘The Last Stylebender’ may have to beat one of them to justify his No. 5 ranking.
