It is safe to say that Israel Adesanya is no longer operating at the peak of his powers. The former two-time middleweight champion’s struggles continued at UFC Seattle, where he ran into Joe Pyfer and suffered another devastating setback. Adesanya was stopped in the second round after Pyfer unleashed a barrage of brutal ground-and-pound at Climate Pledge Arena, forcing the referee to intervene. The defeat marked Adesanya’s fourth consecutive loss dating back to September 2023 and his third straight stoppage defeat.
The difficult stretch has seen ‘The Last Stylebender’ endure some of the toughest moments of his storied career. During the skid, he was knocked out by Nassourdine Imavov in Saudi Arabia, submitted by Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305, and dropped a shocking decision to Sean Strickland at UFC 293, a result many still consider one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. Adesanya’s last victory came in April 2023 when he reclaimed the 185lbs title with a stunning knockout win over longtime rival Alex Pereira. Despite his recent struggles, however, retirement remains far from his mind.
Following the latest setback in March, Adesanya has now admitted that his competitive drive and personal pride are preventing him from walking away from the sport just yet. Speaking with Demetrious Johnson on YouTube, Izzy said, “Even if we take a hit, like I said, four in a row for me, the equity might be down, but we’re still up over most people who’ve come into this game. That’s something I don’t want to rest on. My ego is very tied into this; I know what I can do still. For me, I don’t want this to be the writing of my story… this is not how I want to conclude this chapter of my life.”
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To be fair, Adesanya’s losing streak has come against some of the very best fighters the middleweight division has to offer. More importantly, there have still been flashes of the elite striker who once ruled the weight class for years. Against Pyfer at UFC Seattle, Adesanya looked sharp for stretches of the fight. He repeatedly found success on the feet, landing crisp combinations and several stiff punches that snapped Pyfer’s head back. He also targeted the lead leg with a series of punishing kicks, gradually building momentum as the fight progressed.
However, the fight took a dramatic turn once Pyfer managed to bring the contest to the canvas. The rising contender nearly secured a rear-naked choke before establishing dominant top control and trapping Adesanya underneath him. From there, Pyfer unleashed a relentless barrage of ground-and-pound, leaving Adesanya with few opportunities to escape. With Pyfer continuing to land unanswered punches, referee Herb Dean was eventually forced to step in and wave off the contest.
A similar pattern emerged in Adesanya’s loss to Du Plessis at UFC 305. Before being submitted, many observers felt Adesanya was performing well and had enjoyed success throughout much of the fight. In fact, he appeared to be ahead on several scorecards through the opening rounds before the South African turned the tide and secured the finish.
After arriving in the UFC, ‘The Last Stylebender’ compiled a remarkable 9-0 run while capturing and defending the middleweight title against elite challengers such as Robert Whittaker, Yoel Romero, and Jared Cannonier. His success eventually earned him an opportunity to become a two-division champion when he moved up to light heavyweight to challenge Jan Blachowicz. Although he fell short in that bid, Adesanya returned to middleweight and continued his reign atop the division.
His rivalry with Alex Pereira at UFC 281 and UFC 287 ultimately became one of the defining storylines of his career. While Adesanya famously avenged his loss to Pereira with a stunning knockout in their rematch, those battles also marked the beginning of a difficult stretch that has continued into the present day. As things stand, Adesanya does not currently have a fight booked and has fallen to No. 8 in the latest UFC Meta Rankings.
While a matchup against another ranked contender appears likely, many fans remain uncertain whether the former champion can recapture the form that once made him one of the sport’s most dominant figures. The concern stems from a familiar pattern seen in MMA legends before him. Anderson Silva, widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in UFC history, won just one of his final nine UFC bouts after his lengthy reign as champion ended. Adesanya’s supporters will be hoping he can avoid a similar late-career decline and author one final successful chapter before eventually walking away from the sport.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.