Israel Adesanya‘s recent losses and performance against Dricus du Plessis have sparked speculation about whether he is experiencing a decline in his career, although he remains determined to continue fighting and regain his status.
Israel Adesanya didn’t perform poorly against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305. Yet, he faced his first submission loss and back-to-back defeats for the first time in his career.
After the fight, Adesanya dismissed any retirement talk, emphatically stating, “I’m not f*cking leaving.” At 35, with his superstar status, he likely won’t need many wins to get another title shot.
However, Matt Brown, a recently retired UFC veteran, wonders if Adesanya is starting a slow decline. Every fighter experiences this at some point.
“Izzy is 35; he’s got a lot of miles from kickboxing and MMA,” Brown said on The Fighter vs. The Writer. “Is his peak ending? Was that what we saw over the weekend?”
Brown speculates that maybe Adesanya just had an off night against Sean Strickland. Or perhaps he’s slowing down. Five years ago, that fight might have been easier for him.
Adesanya looked good against Dricus, but Brown noticed his defense wasn’t as sharp. He relies heavily on reactions rather than a tight guard.
When reactions slow, fighters like Dricus and Strickland start landing more punches. Brown isn’t saying Adesanya has lost a step but wonders if slower reaction times are affecting him.
Adesanya has taken a lot of punishment in past fights, especially against Kelvin Gastelum and Alex Pereira. But he always found a way to win.
In 2023, against Strickland, Adesanya was nearly finished early but rebounded in the second round. However, Strickland’s pace and pressure kept him a step behind for the rest of the fight.
Against du Plessis at UFC 305, Adesanya had his moments and was ahead on one scorecard after three rounds. But he got caught with punches in the fourth that led to his submission loss.
Brown thinks Adesanya’s potential slowdown is more evident in his defense than offense. This could explain some of his recent struggles.
“You have to ask it,” Brown said. “He looked great offensively but defensively, I saw things I hadn’t seen before.” Turning his back and running toward the cage were concerning signs for Brown.
“Dricus isn’t a fast guy,” Brown added. “Is Izzy’s defense slowing down? Maybe his time is coming to an end.”
UFC CEO Dana White often says father time is undefeated. At 35, it’s tough to predict if Adesanya is still in his prime or on a downward slope.
Despite praise for Adesanya even in defeat, Brown can’t help but wonder if this is happening now. “I’m not saying that is what’s happening,” Brown clarified. “But it’s a question worth asking.”
Boxers usually decline by 35 due to the reactionary nature of their sport. MMA fighters have more options like clinching and takedowns but Adesanya prefers stand-up fighting.
“Father time beats every man,” Brown said. “I’m just putting the question out there.”
Brown believes a rematch with Strickland would answer these questions. If the first fight was just a bad night for Adesanya, he can make adjustments and avenge his loss.
On the flip side, losing again to Strickland might indicate where Adesanya stands in his career now. “Give them the rematch,” Brown argued. “Let’s see if Izzy is back to his old self.”
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