Israel Adesanya is fully aware that his time in martial arts is drawing to a close. The former two-time UFC middleweight champion seems to have passed his prime and is currently enduring a three-fight losing streak heading into his upcoming bout at UFC Seattle on March 28th. While a defeat to Joe Pifer would be a setback, it wouldn’t necessarily signal the end of Adesanya’s career.
Israel Adesanya’s Retirement Timeline
Adesanya has shared that fans can expect to see him compete roughly 10 more times before he steps away from the sport. At 36 years old, this means he’ll need to maintain a busy schedule over the next few years. “It’s less than 10 fights left,” Adesanya explained on his YouTube channel. “If I fight now, I’ll probably have one more bout by year-end, which makes two fights. If I continue with two fights per year, I can still be active next year. I’m not sure what 2028 holds – I can’t see past 2027 yet. It’s clear the finish line is much closer now than it used to be.”
Setback in Adesanya’s Planned Comeback
Adesanya’s last fight was a shocking knockout loss to Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Saudi Arabia in February 2025. He recently disclosed that his originally planned early return fight didn’t happen due to an injury sustained in training. “I was set to fight last year, but I got injured in the gym, which took that opportunity away,” he noted. The bout he was preparing for was against Reinier de Ridder with only five to six weeks’ notice. Although he didn’t specify the date, it appears he intended to step in for Anthony Hernandez in the UFC Vancouver main event against De Ridder last October. Reflecting on it, Adesanya said, “That moment was taken away from me. At the time I felt disappointed, but now I see it was for the best.”
Fan Take: This update is crucial for fight fans because it highlights the reality of a legendary fighter nearing the end of his career while still aiming to compete at a high level. Adesanya’s path forward could influence the middleweight division’s future dynamics and inspire conversations about how champions transition out of the sport.
