Israel Adesanya announces plans for UFC return, rematch fight with Sean Strickland: ‘It’s time’

Former two-time middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya has revealed “it’s time” for him to make his return to the UFC — revealing he is currently targeting a rematch fight against fellow ex-titleholder, Sean Strickland.

Adesanya, himself a former two-time champion at the weight class, suffered his third straight loss earlier this year, dropping a second round loss in his UFC Fight Night Saudi Arabia headlining return.

Taking on the surging, Nassourdine Imavov, City Kickboxing finisher, Adesanya was dropped and stopped early in the second round, suffering his third straight loss.

In August of last year to boot, Adesanya was submitted in a his title fight with Dricus du Plessis, failing in his bid to become a three-time divisional gold holder.

Prior to that, Adesanya came unstuck in a title defense against the above-mentioned, Strickland — suffering a unanimous decision defeat in one of the biggest upsets in the history of the organization.

Israel Adesanya announces plan for UFC return

However, claiming he would be taking time to help his teammates before even considering a return to action, Adesanya has claimed it’s not time for him to fight again. And namely, opposite the outspoken, Strickland.

“Itold Hunter [Campbell], I told my coach, ‘it’s time’. I have a feeling who I want to fight…” Israel Adesanya told David Goggins on his YouTube channel. “I gotta get some get backs. (Sean) Strickland. I’m gonna get him back.”

Himself taking on common-foe, du Plessis in a title rematch back in February, Strickland came out on the wrong side of another one-sided unanimous judging defeat to the promotional-perfect South African.

Earlier this week to boot, as per Tim Welch, the head coach of former titleholder, Sean O’Malley, Adesanya was hellbent on fighting Strickland in his return to action.

“It seemed like he (Israel Adesanya) was wanting that (Sean) Strickland fight back,” Welch said on his YouTube channel. “They said, and it’s not excuses, but his knee was very f*cked up, he was so burnt out, it was just a bad, bad night where he didn’t show up.”