The quote, “Time, it’s the most powerful force. You can’t beat it, not even Apollo. It’ll take everything from you if you let it… Every second counts,” from the renowned fictional character Rocky Balboa perfectly reflects the current state of the UFC. As the sands of time shift, we see a new wave of fighters rising through the ranks. However, like a double-edged sword, we are also on the verge of witnessing the retirement of fighters in the twilight of their careers, such as Conor McGregor and Jon Jones, who have become more than just names, they’ve embodied the emotions of fans for decades.

Recently, former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya hinted at his own retirement plans during his appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, signaling the possible end of another legendary chapter in UFC history.

When will Israel Adesanya retire?

Since his debut in the UFC, Israel Adesanya has put down everyone who came in his way on his journey to the title. He remains the only fighter in the promotion to have defeated Alex Pereira, which helped the 35-year-old ‘The Last Stylebender’ create a record of 12 consecutive title fights. However, in his last few outings, Adesanya’s journey has fallen short.

He first lost his title to underdog Sean Strickland last year, and then earlier this year, he was outclassed by Dricus du Plessis in a manner no one had ever achieved against him: by rear-naked choke submission. This has cast doubt in the minds of fans about how much zeal Izzy has left for fighting.

Recently, UFC commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan echoed this question on his JRE MMA show #164, asking, “Do you have a timeline on how much longer you want to fight for?”

‘The Last Stylebender’ shook his head in affirmation and stated, “I feel like I won’t be fighting at 40. I don’t think that’s for me. I’d rather be doing something else. But 38, right now, is in my head. Who knows? At 36 or 37, I might just say, ‘Peace, I’m out.’ I’m spontaneous like that, but I think 38, maybe 39. Let’s see what happens first. At the moment, I’m still here.” Right now, Israel Adesanya’s journey feels far from over, but before that happens, he has some unfinished business to take care of.

Adesanya reflects on his future in the UFC

Earlier this year, after failing to reclaim his middleweight title from South African native Dricus du Plessis, Adesanya has been out of the octagon, taking some time off from the spotlight to reflect on his future. Now, more than a month later, the former champion has emerged from his seclusion; however, this kickboxer is not eager for a rematch for the title against ‘Stillknocks’. Instead, he wants to fight Sean Strickland, the opponent against whom he initially lost his title.

‘The Last Stylebender’ opened up about his latest outing with Joe Rogan stating, “Strickland! Definitely! That fight was not me. Again, I don’t make excuses … (Dave Chappelle) said something like, ‘When it’s your time, you have to know and be humble enough when it’s someone else’s.’ That was just his week and his everything. So it’s his time; let him have it, but I know what I can do.”

What are your thoughts on Israel Adesanya’s remarks? Do you agree with him that he should stop fighting around age 38, or should he consider continuing, as he still has a lot of fight left in him? Drop your opinion below.