In what was considerably the biggest upset back then, the middleweight undisputed gold shifted hands at UFC 293. Israel Adesanya suffered a thorough loss to Sean Strickland in September 2023. New footage shows how ‘The Last Stylebender’ coped with the hardship behind closed doors.
Contrary to his character, Sean Strickland shed tears after his victory; Adesanya dubbed this down, urging him to cheer up. ‘Tarzan’ went “scorched earth” with consistent offense and dethroned Adesanya. Despite their contentious scuffles, Adesanya respected the change in guard.
It’s a good story for [Strickland], I’m proud of him, But I’m gonna get him…We’ll get him back, okay? I promise…
Israel Adesanya via Fight Inc: Inside the UFC
Cameras for Fight Inc: Inside the UFC docuseries — a new release on The Roku Channel, follows them backstage. After his title loss, Oluwafemi Adesanya and Taiwo Adesanya console their son. Adesanya was a heavy favorite coming into Sydney, Australia. However, Sean Strickland remained stylistically tricky and consistent for almost all rounds. Izzy lauded the outcome but was also resolute.
Israel Adesanya backstage after the loss to Sean Strickland
“It’s a good story for [Strickland], I’m proud of him. But I’m gonna get him. We’ll get him back.”#UFC #MMA
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 9, 2024
The emotional turmoil was a result of the bond and respect they shared. So was the resolve of Israel Adesanya wanting to rewrite his story. As Adesanya left the arena, cameras caught Dana White checking in and asking if he was okay. He let out a sigh before the cameras stalled on him.
Tensions were sky-high during the UFC 293 post-fight phase. 2023 marked the most successful one for Sean Strickland. The 185-pound standout went on an undefeated run against ranked opponents and even snagged the undisputed gold. However, nobody expected him to do it against all-around expert Israel Adesanya.
Israel Adesanya may soon get a chance to rewind to winning ways (Source: br.pinterest.com/X)Izzy has long remained a brilliant kickboxer with good spatial control. Be it offering a knockout strike or posing a danger by taking it down to the ground, he does it all. Yet, he couldn’t get beyond first gear against the unpredictable Strickland. However, he found solace in the aftermath.
Thank you for the opportunity [to Dana White], Thanks for making that fight happen. Again, it doesn’t matter. Even if it’s his night, it doesn’t matter, it’s still history. It’s a good story for him, it’s a good story for America. It is what it is, that’s the game…
Israel Adesanya in a later shot, via Fight Inc: Inside the UFC
Speaking to Kristina Avsarkisova of “She Loves The Gloves” Blog, head coach Eugene Bareman blamed the burnout on a laid-back lifestyle. Many others provided a variety of reactions. White was blank; commentating duo Daniel Cormier and Lauro Sanko could not get to terms with the hype. But Izzy remained steadfast in his resolve despite a loss.
Israel Adesanya backstage after the loss to Sean Strickland
“It’s a good story for [Strickland], I’m proud of him. But I’m gonna get him. We’ll get him back.”#UFC #MMA
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 9, 2024
UFC 305 returns to the Australian scene in the RAC Arena, Perth. Adesanya (24-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) hasn’t fought since the upset at UFC 293. He is currently on the rumor mill to be Dricus Du Plessis’ maiden defense in a feature headliner. If so, the 34-year middleweight can leap ahead on the resolve that he voiced all those months ago to regain the middleweight title.
