There are only a few fighters in MMA who have defended the UFC Middleweight Championship multiple times. Only four fighters in the UFC, i.e., Rich Franklin, Anderson Silva, Chris Weidman, and Israel Adesanya, have defended the title at least twice in their careers. Franklin had two title defenses, Silva had ten title defenses, Weidman had three title defenses, and Adesanya had five title defenses.
Among the above fighters, only Adesanya is indirectly an active fighter. For those who don’t know, he has taken a break from MMA and will make his return. His last fight was against Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September 2024. Since then, he has been enjoying his break from MMA and has been part of any fight card.
Fans around the world are eagerly waiting for his comeback, and recently he talked about his return to MMA.
Recently, Israel Adesanya said:
“I can’t wait to unleash again!”
In case you missed: Sean Strickland mocks both his title contenders, Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev
Here is the complete statement:
“I can’t wait to unleash again! But, in the meantime, have patience. It reassured me; I was like, ‘Oh yeah, you are far from done.’ Just looking in my eyes, I can see that killer.”
Without a doubt, Israel Adesanya isn’t far away from his UFC return. He is one of the best middleweight fighters in UFC history and has always lived up to expectations. He is a two-time UFC middleweight champion and has defended his title five times. Moreover, he is the only fighter after Anderson Silva to have a championship reign of 1000+ days.
Currently, Sean Strickland is the UFC middleweight champion. Strickland defeated Adesanya to win the championship, and the rematch is yet to happen. On the other hand, the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Alex Pereira, wants to set the tone for their battle. Pereira has openly called out Adesanya for the championship fight, but he hasn’t responded.
Well, with this statement, both fighters might expect him to challenge them on his MMA return. Who will Israel Adesanya challenge on his MMA return? Do let us know your views.
Also read: “185 pounds would look good on me!” Michael Chandler on the Conor McGregor fight announcement
Thank you for reading. Leave us a comment if you liked it. Do follow us on: Google News | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube | LinkedIn Have a good day ahead 🙂
