Israel Adesanya issues blunt retirement statement after UFC 305 defeat to Dricus Du Plessis as MW future in balance
ISRAEL ADESANYA has issued a blunt message amid suggestions he could hang up his gloves.
The Last Stylebender came up short in his bid to become a three-time ruler of the middleweight division in the main event of UFC 305 on Sunday morning.
Adesanya, 35, suffered a fourth-round submission defeat – his third loss in his last four fights – to bitter rival Dricus Du Plessis in their Perth punch-up.
MMA fans feared they were about to witness the Nigerian-born Kiwi’s retirement when he took off his gloves.
But Adesanya insists his fighting days are far from over, saying: “People read too much into s**t but for me who knows what happens.
“Again, life is fleeting. Who knows what happens? Anything could happen.
‘”He might not come back if something happens to him.
“Anyone of us in this room could go tomorrow, so I try and take each fight and each moment as if it was my last.
“I only took the gloves off after the fight because it was tight after the fight. He’s got a strong head, man. I hit him with some shots.
“So that’s why I took the gloves off. [It was nothing] about retirement.
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“I told you guys, I’m not f***ing leaving. I’m not f***ing leaving until I want to leave.”
Adesanya looked like his vintage self in his first outing in nearly a year, showcasing the beautiful striking and takedown defence that made him an incredible force during his first run to the title.
But he was taken down in the fourth after retreating from a barrage of right hands and forced to submit to a rear-naked choke.
In his first assessment of the fight, a crestfallen Adesanya said: “I already knew he was going to be tough, so it wasn’t a surprise.
“But I was quite strong in there. I felt strong and able to resist his takedowns.
“I just made a stupid mistake on the ground and he adjusted to the gable grip and then got me.”
He later added: “I didn’t do what I wanted to do tonight and I’m disappointed in myself.
“But at the same time, I’m proud because this is the best I’ve ever felt, this is the best I’ve ever looked.
“And I just had the better man on the night I’ll give him respect for that.”