Israel Adesanya, once the gold standard at 185lbs, is now facing the toughest stretch of his career. With three losses on the trot, speculations about his future have started to get more prominent than ever. But does this slump give fans the right to mock him? The debate reignited at UFC Saudi Arabia when Nassourdine Imavov handed Izzy a ticket to the shadow realm. As expected, reactions were mixed.

While many fans expressed their disappointment, some were quick to mock the 35-year-old former champion, calling his “downfall” something that “needs to be studied.” However, not everyone shared this harsh view. Former UFC fighter and Khamzat Chimaev’s training partner, Darren Till, had enough of the negativity. Outraged by the relentless criticism, Till took to social media, blasting the critics as a “gang of absolute morons” and fiercely defending Izzy’s legacy.

He wrote, “I just read a comment on an MMA page saying, ‘The downfall of Israel Adesanya needs to be studied!’ Can everyone here who isn’t an absolute moron actually understand that statement? I’m trying so hard to understand it, but I can’t… I’m so confused… What downfall??? I’ve seen people talk about downfalls, studies, etc.—all that sh-t, like ‘The downfall of Darren Till needs to be studied.’ I get that.” And he’s not wrong.

In fact, the Nigerian-Kiwi’s rise in the UFC was nothing short of spectacular. After a successful kickboxing career, he stormed into the promotion with a dominant nine-fight win streak, taking out elite opponents like Anderson Silva, Robert Whittaker, Yoel Romero, and Paulo Costa. Till didn’t hold back in emphasizing Adesanya’s dominance, stating, “He was fuc—g ruining everyone. He made Paulo Costa look like a baby—who, by the way, had a war with Yoel Romero. He absolutely bodied Robert Whittaker.”

In the end, ‘The Gorilla’ silenced the critics with a definitive statement, delivering a knockout blow to Izzy’s detractors by calling him “an absolute wrecking machine.” He further solidified Israel Adesanya’s legacy, labeling him one of the “middleweight GOATs,” a fact even UFC head honcho Dana White can’t deny.

Dana White reacts to Israel Adesanya’s knockout loss to Nassourdine Imavov

Israel Adesanya’s last three fights inside the Octagon have seen him defeated in every possible way: unanimous decision, submission, and most recently, a knockout loss to Nassourdine Imavov. However, in the first round of his latest outing, Izzy displayed his usual dominance. Yet, as the fight wore on, the former kickboxer’s performance began to falter, signaling that the once-prominent middleweight champion may now be nearing the end of his illustrious career.

Soon to be 36 in July, Izzy’s future is uncertain—a sentiment even Dana White acknowledges. Despite Adesanya’s tough stretch, White showed respect for his performance at the UFC Saudi Arabia post-fight presser, saying, “He looked good. He was picking him apart, staying on the outside. (His) takedown defense was incredible, chopping that calf kick the whole first round. He couldn’t have had a better first round – and then he got caught. Listen, getting caught is getting caught. He’s 35. Imavov is 28. He’s in his prime. … He looked incredible. You couldn’t have fought a better first round than he did. He had (Imavov’s) face busted up.”

What’s your take on Israel Adesanya’s next move? Should the former two-time middleweight champion continue his journey in the Octagon, or is it time for him to step away from MMA and explore a temporary boxing career, potentially facing someone like Jake Paul? Given the current landscape, this might be a prime opportunity for a retired MMA fighter to cash in on lucrative “red penny nuggets.” Share your thoughts below.