Israel Adesanya’s loss to Sean Strickland last year is perhaps one of the biggest upsets this sport has ever seen. After all, no one was expecting the loud-mouthed and overconfident Strickland to win. Moreover, ‘Tarzan’ was ranked #5 coming into the UFC 293 and had already lost to Alex Pereira and Jared Cannonier previously, both of whom ‘Izzy’ had beaten.

What was even less expected was just how dominant Strickland would be. Not only did he drop ‘Izzy’ in the very first round, but virtually dominated every minute of every round for the entire five rounds of their historic clash. No wonder Adesanya was so shell-shocked during that fight that he almost dissociated, his brain not being able to comprehend what was happening to him. At least that is how it sounds when the former champ recalls his experience of the Strickland fight.

“And in the fight itself when he [Strickland] dropped me, I remember getting up and thinking, ‘Oh sh*t, he’s hitting me’… And he’s still, he’s probably like 18 punches deep. He wasn’t really hitting me, but he was hitting the guard… But the whole fight felt like a weird dream… It was just his week. He had pressure, his game. But it felt weird for me,” Adesanya told Andrew Schulz and co. on the ‘Flagrant’ podcast.

That loss, of course, would cause ‘Izzy’ to go on an almost year-long hiatus from fighting, but alas, his comeback proved to be another setback. Just as Adesanya was gaining some momentum against reigning champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305 in August this year, Adesanya would be submitted by the champ in the fourth round. This means Adesanya, after a very long time, is just another top-ranked middleweight contender instead of being in the title picture in some way or the other.

What is next for Israel Adesanya?

It almost seems something is not right with the world when Israel Adesanya is not the UFC’s middleweight champion. After all, he has been the most dominant champion in the post-GSP and Anderson Silva era, having won the title in April 2019, fourteen months after joining the UFC.

And for most of the next four years, ‘Izzy’ would hold the belt and look set for a long and illustrious reign like his GOAT contender predecessors. Now, having lost two out of his last two title fights, ‘Izzy’ will have to make his way back up to the top of the title ladder. Which is why the crucial question is- against whom?

Recent reports from Knockoutalerts suggest that the former champ is set to headline the second UFC Fight Night card against #5 ranked Nassourdine Imavov scheduled for Feb 1, 2025, inside The Venue in Riyadh. Imavov, of course, is coming off three victories this year alone and has built up a lot of momentum after a forgettable 2023. While the Frenchman had called for a title shot after beating promising prospect Brendan Allen two months ago, an Adesanya fight can be a valuable chance.

While he may not be fighting for a title, this bout would give him a shot at becoming exponentially more widely known and popular in the MMA world. After all, Adesanya is one of the most well-known fighters in the world, and beating him would almost definitely boost his popularity. Not to mention put him at most, probably one step from fighting for the title.

The stakes are even higher for Adesanya. Losing three in a row to a man who has previously been very beatable would almost definitely generate a lot of ‘washed up’ chatter. And knock him out of title contention for the near future. What do you think about Israel Adesanya’s personal experience of the Strickland loss? And what is next for the former 185lbs king? Tell us in the comment section below!