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Israel Adesanya Closes Pereira Chapter, Signals Return Built on Freedom Over Titles

The former middleweight champion, unbooked since a February TKO loss, now tells fans he is “retired.”

Overview

  • Speaking at a Bangtao Muay Thai Q&A, Adesanya declared his long rivalry with Alex Pereira finished and said he hopes Pereira never loses again and retires undefeated.
  • He said he tells people he is “retired” until a fight poster appears, emphasizing that any comeback will prioritize creativity and risk over chasing the middleweight belt.
  • Adesanya acknowledged speculation that Pereira could face Jon Jones at a prospective White House event and voiced support for his former foe’s light heavyweight run.
  • The 36-year-old is on a three-fight skid, including a February 2025 TKO loss to Nassourdine Imavov in Saudi Arabia, and he has no opponent or return date confirmed.
  • He also revisited his kickboxing past, alleging Glory “screwed” him out of a world title, while noting the promotion still helped elevate his early career.