Israel Adesanya is leaving behind the idea of a rematch with Sean Strickland.
Once a two-time UFC middleweight champion, Adesanya is reeling from the worst stretch of his career—he’s lost three fights in a row. His first loss in that skid was a stunning upset against Strickland at UFC 293, where he also lost his title. Since then, talk of a rematch has surfaced periodically, and even intensified earlier this year when Adesanya began publicly pushing for it.
However, with no momentum toward making that rematch happen, Adesanya says he’s ready to move forward. On Submission Radio, he stated:
“I’m not surprised … I don’t want to be waiting around. I’ve moved on. I just want to fight … we’ll see.”
Strickland himself hasn’t had a smooth run either. After beating Adesanya, he lost the title to Dricus du Plessis, eked out a decision win over Paulo Costa, then dropped another fight to du Plessis. He was also suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after an altercation as a coach at a Tuff-N-Uff event in June. His suspension runs through December 29, though it might be reduced if he completes an approved anger management program.
Given the delay and apparent lack of eagerness from Strickland’s side, Adesanya is now eyeing other middleweight contenders. He mentioned Anthony Hernandez as a possible opponent and said he’s staying “ready for everyone and anyone.”