Bareman unsure of Adesanya’s future in the sport

Eugene Bareman, head coach of City Kickboxing and longtime mentor to Israel Adesanya, has expressed uncertainty about the future of the former UFC middleweight champion. Speaking in a recent interview, Bareman revealed that Adesanya’s next steps remain unclear, but that if he is done with the sport now, then the world has been blessed by his presence in the sport. 

Adesanya, who once ruled the middleweight division and has twice held the title, is currently going through a challenging phase in his career. After suffering three consecutive losses and four defeats in his last five fights, including a knockout loss to Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Fight Night 250 in February, questions about his future have intensified. 

These setbacks follow what was once a storied career that included five successful title defenses and memorable victories over top contenders like Robert Whittaker and Alex Pereira.

Bareman said: “Izzy is being Izzy. I don’t know what he’s doing next, but that’s a good place to be. If he was going to fight again, then he’s going to fight again. 

“If he’s not, then we’ve been blessed, I’ve been blessed, the world’s been blessed, the team’s been blessed. But yeah, it’s completely up to him.”

While Adesanya has not officially announced any retirement plans, Bareman’s comments suggest that he has not given any hints of his next move. Maybe he could stage a comeback or retire at this point, it all depends on him. 

Adesanya’s recent struggles are a glaring contrast to his meteoric rise in the UFC. Since debuting in 2018, he has cemented his place among legends in the franchise with iconic performances, including his interim title victory against Kelvin Gastelum, a fight now enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame, and his unification bout against Whittaker at UFC 243. But his recent losses to Sean Strickland, Dricus du Plessis, and Imavov have raised questions about whether he can return to championship form.