Michael Bisping pointed out in his podcast that Israel Adesanya has lost three out of his last four fights. This is quite a fall-off for Israel Adesanya, who, as Bisping reminded us, “came in[to the UFC] undefeated, became the champion, defended four times, fought for a second belt, knocked out Alex Pereira- only person to do that, you know. He’s done incredible things.”

“But now he’s lost three out of four,” Bisping emphasized. However, as the UFC commentator pointed out, all three of those losses had mitigating circumstances that could somewhat excuse those losses. “Now granted that is to Strickland, that’s to Dricus Du Plessis, so there’s no shame in that. However, if you’re looking at the timeline, you’re seeing a bit of a pattern recently,”, Bisping said on his YouTube channel.

This, of course, raises a host of uncomfortable questions for ‘Izzy’ and why his upcoming UFC Saudi Arabia fight against Nassourdine Imavov is so crucial. It may well determine the future course of Adesanya’s career and answer questions crucial questions.

“Is he starting to fall off? Is he starting to age? Has he come down from the peak? Is he on the verge, if he loses this fight – is he on the verge of being the gatekeeper?” Bisping asked co-host Paul Felder. Felder agreed but pointed out that being a gatekeeper isn’t a bad thing in itself. It’s just that fighters get stuck in that position for extended periods, like is the case for say, Gilbert Burns at welterweight.

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Is Israel Adesanya's UFC career on the decline?

Yes, he's past his prime

No, he'll bounce back

It's too early to tell

He needs a new strategy

Do you believe Jack Della Maddalena can overcome Belal Muhammad's relentless pressure and claim the welterweight title?

Yes, JDM's striking will prevail

No, Belal's pressure is too much

It's a toss-up

Not sure

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Is it fair for UFC fighters like Jack Della Maddalena to resort to crowdfunding for team expenses?

Yes, it's part of the sport

No, UFC should cover all costs

Depends on the fighter's status

Not sure

Who do you think will emerge victorious if Ilia Topuria faces Islam Makhachev in the Octagon?

Topuria's knockout power

Makhachev's ground game

Too close to call

Neither, it's all hype

Is Jamahal Hill's repeated withdrawal from fights damaging his reputation?

Yes, it's hurting his image

No, injuries happen

He's just being cautious

Not sure

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But things do look a bit dire for Adesanya if he loses this fight. ‘Izzy’ turns 36 this year, and a loss would lead to some undoubtedly saying he is past his prime and not championship material anymore. In addition, Bisping’s fellow UFC commentator Daniel Cormier has also rung alarm bells for the Adesanya.

‘DC’ fears Israel Adesanya may be too rich and famous to beat Imavov

For the first time in six years, Israel Adesanya won’t be fighting for a UFC title, or in a numbered event. ‘The Last Stylebender’, of course, has become a superstar and very wealthy since he first joined the UFC back in 2018. And UFC commentator Daniel Cormier fears this may mean ‘Izzy’ does not have the motivation he once had, especially in the final two rounds.

“He’ll find himself in that fourth to fifth round with Imavov this weekend and have to dig deep knowing that nothing changes if he doesn’t, right? Nothing changes – Israel will still be a star if he wins or he loses. Israel will still collect the same paycheck on Saturday night if he loses, the money he has in the bank remains the same… How does he pull back to that moment when he didn’t have all those things if need be?” ‘DC’ wondered.

Of course, Imavov is the one who has everything to fight for. If he beats Adesanya, his life will change. Not only will Imavov be in title contention immediately, but will also become much much more popular. This means he has the motivation and sheer desperation to do whatever it takes to beat Adesanya. What do you think about Michael Bisping’s warning for Israel Adesanya?