The world has been eagerly waiting for Israel Adesanya to make his return to competition and it seems that ‘The Last Stylebender’ is raring to get back inside the Octagon! The MMA sphere was left stunned when Adesanya lost his title to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 last year despite being the solemn favorite coming into the matchup. After the fight, Adesanya stated in an interview on ‘The Rock FM’, “Now I’m going to take time to look after myself, and I’m not going to fight for a long time.”

However, it appears that at the upcoming UFC 305 card in Perth, Australia, ‘The Last Stylebender’ is ready to unleash a new version of himself on the middleweight division. In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Adesanya revealed the change in his mindset and approach he implemented during his hiatus, and the current middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis might need to pay attention!

Israel Adesanya reveals what has changed during his time away from the cage

In a video shared on his ‘FREESTYLEBENDER’ YouTube channel, Israel Adesanya recently spoke about his time away from the cage as he stated, “I’m excited, I’m excited, its been a year, almost a year, like 11 months by the time I get back in the Octagon.”

Adesanya’s last fight was against Sean Strickland in September 2023, and the UFC 305 card is scheduled for August this year. While there have been no official statements regarding Adesanya’s presence on the card, his comment about it being “11 months” before he steps foot inside the Octagon seems to indicate that ‘The Last Stylebender’ might be fighting at the event.

Adesanya further stated in the video, “People are always like, ‘I hope you get the belt back’ like I have belts, I don’t need anymore belts. I’m coming for heads, that’s what I wanna do. Just a few that I have to touch”

The current middleweight king, Dricus Du Plessis, has also indicated that he is interested in taking on Adesanya this year, and with the former champion revealing his new mindset, ‘Stillknocks’ might be in for a tough fight when they do step into the cage against each other.

‘The Last Stylebender’ then revealed, “Everything comes at its own time, so right now its time for training, chilling, working, relaxing, healing and then when its time, time for killing”, reflecting the change in his approach at this point in his career.

As Israel Adesanya prepares for his return, his journey back to the Octagon is not just about the fights themselves but about the evolution of a fighter who has already achieved so much in his career. However, despite there being no confirmations about his return date, a teammate might have unwittingly given up the information in a recent interview!

 ‘The Hangman’ drops massive bombshell for UFC 305 

In a recent interview with Combat TV NZ, UFC lightweight and Israel Adesanya’s teammate, Dan Hooker may have given the fandom a look at the UFC’s plan for their PPV in Perth Australia. Hooker revealed that he wasn’t initially supposed to be on the UFC 305 card as he shared, “They were like trying to push me to later… later in the year, but I was just like… I want it on Perth, so I kind of stood my ground on that.”

But why was he so adamant about fighting on that particular card? ‘The Hangman’ went on to reveal that, “I just wanna be on that date. You know, Kai’s on it, Izzy’s on it, like, I wanted to have fun.”

In conclusion, UFC 305 is shaping up to be an exciting pay-per-view event in Perth, with the potential inclusion of Dan Hooker, along with Israel Adesanya and Kai Kara-France, adding further interest and anticipation! With Adesanya’s sights set on new challenges rather than reclaiming belts, and the possibility of facing current middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis at the event, fans can expect a thrilling spectacle when ‘The Last Stylebender’ graces the Octagon with his presence once again.

Do you think Israel Adesanya has what it takes to reclaim his 185 lbs crown? Share your thoughts in the comments below!