Prior to his rematch with Alex Pereira, former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya declared his intention to retire from mixed martial arts in five years.
The Nigerian star lost his championship last year after suffering his third loss in his fighting career at the hands of longtime foe Pereira. The challenge for "The Last Stylebender" is to beat "Poatan" a second time on April 9 at UFC 287 in Miami.
Although Adesanya lost his most recent fight, it was his first in the middleweight category since joining the UFC, and if he wins back his title later this year, he still has a lot to do.
However, the 33-year-old has stated he would work to conclude his career on a high note and that he wants to regain his position as the division's king.
Speaking about his forthcoming rematch with Pereira, Adesanya stated, “I’ve been in the UFC five years, right?,” Adesanya said during a press conference in Australia while discussing his upcoming rematch with Pereira.
“If I’m being honest, I’m not gonna be here in five years. I have other things to do in life. I love this sh*t and I’m f**king great at it but I never attach myself to this and I’m gonna leave on top.
“So yeah, that’s the place where I feel like you should leave. But again, I’ve been here five years in the UFC, (snaps fingers) it went like that. We’ll see how long I’m here for but I don’t think it’s gonna be five years,” Adesanya said.
Adesanya has become a hugely popular figure in martial arts and is currently the UFC’s second-highest-paid fighter behind friend Conor McGregor.
After being stopped in the last round of his two kickboxing losses against the Brazilian, he will be looking for a successful vengeance mission this time. The New Zealander of Nigerian ancestry has a 23–2 record.
