Former 185lbs king Israel Adesanya has revealed a deeply personal aspiration: becoming a father after retiring from mixed martial arts. Known for his electrifying performances inside the cage and larger-than-life persona, Izzy shared that fatherhood is a goal he wants to pursue when he can fully dedicate himself to the role.

“I want to be present for my kids, to give them the best version of me,” Adesanya explained in a recent interview. Moreover, the former champion shares an incredible bond with his parents and has credited them for their success and recently took to Instagram to share a unique message for them.

Israel Adesanya shares a heartfelt message for his parents on social media

Israel Adesanya has always credited much of his success to his strong bond with his parents, Oluwafemi and Taiwo Adesanya. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, ‘The Last Stylebender’ grew up in a close-knit family that instilled in him values of hard work, discipline, and perseverance—qualities that have been instrumental in his rise to global stardom. The former champion is at the twilight of his career and is looking forward to a new chapter of his life in the form of fatherhood.

During one of his live interactions, a curious fan asked him about his plans after bidding adieu to the realm of combat sports. Much to the surprise of the fans, Adesanya uploaded a cute video on his Instagram story. The video captured an adorable video of a father and son interaction and was also followed by a question from the former champion. However, he only answered the question on the video and wrote, “Be͏͏ a͏͏ great͏͏ dad.” 

With Adesanya now looking to become a great father himself, he took to his Instagram to share a message for his parents. He shared a story with a caption that read, “Respect to parents supporting their kid’s dreams. Regardless of how ‘unrealistic’ it may be.” Despite his fame and fortune, Adesanya has remained deeply connected to his parents. He has publicly expressed gratitude for the sacrifices they made, from uprooting their lives to moving to New Zealand to support his unconventional career path in combat sports.

Izzy is currently on a recovery course after his unsuccessful bid at regaining the 185lbs title back in August. However, there will come a time when he will have to call it quits on his career. But Adesanya isn’t quite worried about it as we discussed his plans. Moreover, he has a special plan in mind for his future children.

Israel Adesanya opens up on what he wishes for his future kids

Israel Adesanya has already knitted a legacy that many fighters can only dream of. The 35-year-old has mentioned that he plans to retire on his own terms, ensuring he leaves the sport before the toll of competition dims his sharpness. For Adesanya, retirement is not an end but the beginning of a new chapter especially for his future kids.

The New Zealand native doesn’t believe in the traditional schooling approach. He believes that the concept is outdated and doesn’t offer any insight into the happenings of the real world. In an interview clip that was doing rounds on social media last year, Izzy was heard to highlight his thoughts on education. He had clearly stated that whenever he has kids of his own, won’t be sending them into the public school system.

Izzy stated his intentions by stating, “My plan is, right when I have kids, I’m going to have a tutor that’s going to teach them from the age—at home—from the time, say, maybe, 9 am to mid-day or 1 pm. And they’ll have an hour of homework, and the rest of the day we’ll just go on adventures doing (expletive)”

In addition, ‘The Last Stylebender’ also listed a barrage of activities that would serve as a base for his kids and would be compulsory for them while growing up. “But then, they’re going to do gymnastics, compulsory. Because I want to make sure they know their body; the foundation of athleticism, gymnastics, and Jiu Jitsu,” Izzy had stated. According to him, those will be the activities where his children will get the chance to interact with their peers to develop their social skills despite not going to school.

It is heartwarming to witness one of the greatest MMA fighters opening up about a sensitive issue as this and it seems he probably has taken a cue from his father for being a supportive dad. What are your thoughts about Israel Adesanya’s plans after retiring from the sport? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.