Will ‘The Last Stylebender’ Be Retiring Soon?
Just recently on his YouTube channel, former two-time Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya pondered on the idea of his own retirement. ‘The Last Stylebender’ was asked by his brother in the video how many fights he has left, to which Adesanya responded, “Less than ten.” The fighter also speculated that he is not able to see past 2027, implying that he may hang up the gloves before 2028. If this is the case, the fighter could retire in less than five fights, given the intensity of the UFC landscape currently, since most athletes on the roster only fight around twice a year.
The former champ was once quite active in the UFC, especially while holding the belt. However, since losing the title to Sean Strickland at UFC 293, the Nigerian-New Zealand mixed martial artist has been in a weird funk. He once again tried to retain the belt nearly a year later against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305, but was submitted in the fourth round by rear naked choke. Fans would even agree that Adesanya was winning the fight up until that point, but fell short in the latter half of the fight. In February 2025, Adesanya tried to bounce back against Nassourdine Imavov in a UFC Fight Night main event, but lost by TKO in the second round. Now the ‘Stylebender’ is set to fight Joe Pyfer in another UFC Fight Night in late March. The big question is, will Adesanya be able to turn things around?
Regarded by many fans and fellow fighters as one of UFC’s Middleweight greats, Adesanya has definitely proven his worth in the weight class. His last win in 2023 against the current Light Heavyweight Champion, Alex Pereira, was seen as one of the greatest knockouts of this decade. Adesanya’s striking ability throughout his career has been something to be studied by incoming fighters wanting to make the roster. With his next fight coming soon, Adesanya looks to rebound and channel his older self before his ultimate retirement, hoping to become the original ‘Stylebender’ that many of UFC’s biggest fans know him to be. Nevertheless, the former two-time champion has already earned his place in the UFC Hall of Fame someday.
