Former UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, has dropped out of the UFC pound-for-pound rankings for the first time in five years, following his recent submission loss to South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis.
The Nigerian-born fighter, who has long been a staple in the UFC’s top 15, now faces an uncertain future as he contemplates his next move in the sport.
Adesanya’s exclusion from the rankings comes after his defeat to Du Plessis at UFC 305, where he was submitted in the fourth round of their highly anticipated middleweight title fight. The loss followed a year-long hiatus after Adesanya lost his belt to Sean Strickland in a shocking upset.
The former champion, known for his striking prowess and charismatic persona, had been aiming to reclaim the middleweight crown but was outclassed by Du Plessis, who capitalised on a ground-game mistake by Adesanya to secure a rear-naked choke submission.
Adesanya, who was ranked in the top 10 of the pound-for-pound list for much of his career, since September 2nd 2019 now sees himself replaced in the rankings by Aljamain Sterling.
The likes of Islam Makhachev and Alex Pereira occupy the top spots.
Despite this setback, sources close to Adesanya suggest that the rankings may not be his primary concern. The fighter’s focus remains on proving himself to the watching world and potentially making a comeback.
While the 35-year-old fighter’s future in the division remains unclear, his coach, Eugene Bareman, has hinted at a potential return in 2024, signalling that ‘The Last Stylebender’ may not be done just yet.
Bareman revealed that Adesanya has remained active with other fighters from City Kickboxing and could make a comeback this year.
