Adesanya says he won't come back after retirement

Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has promised that he will not return to fighting after he retires, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The 37-year-old has lost his last four fights. Three of those losses came by stoppage. He was defeated by Joe Pyfer, Nassourdine Imavov, and Dricus du Plessis. His last victory was a knockout against Alex Pereira in 2023.

Adesanya talked about his retirement plans in a video on his YouTube channel with his friend and training partner Alexander Volkanovski. They did not give a specific timeline for when he plans to retire.

The two-time champion expressed his concern about falling into the trap that many fighters do.

“I have seen it in this game. The accolades, the spotlight. When they get done, they may come out of retirement because they do not know what to do with themselves. I never want to be that guy,” he said.

He admitted he would still want excitement after fighting.

“Maybe I would want to do something that is risky, like run with the bulls. I might jump in the World Series of Poker. I love the adrenaline, but I guess people have a hard time leaving this life,” he said.

Adesanya shared that he is excited about acting roles. He revealed that he turned down two big movie offers in the past because of title defenses. Now, he plans to fight about twice a year instead of four times.

He also thanked Georges St-Pierre for his advice.

“When he tells me something, I listen. It holds weight. He is retired, and he has done it, clocked the game at the highest level,” Adesanya said. He added that their conversations have reassured him that he will be okay after fighting.

“I do not need to be the guy who needs to fight,” he said.