“The Last Stylebender” isn’t going anywhere.
Former two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya suffered a second-round stoppage loss to surging No. 14-ranked contender Joe Pyfer in the main event of UFC Seattle this past weekend inside Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington (watch highlights.
For a moment, it felt like the end could be near.
With Adesanya now on a rough skid, many wondered if the former champion might walk away from the sport.
Not a chance.
Immediately after the fight, Adesanya made it clear during his in-cage interview with Daniel Cormier that retirement isn’t on his mind, declaring he’s not “f—king leaving.”
A day later, he doubled down on that message via social media.
“I know it’s hard on my people seeing me fall. I promise you it’s harder on me,” Adesanya wrote. “Regardless, we respawn and go again.”
Still, there’s no sugarcoating where things stand.
After having so much success inside and outside of the Octagon, Adesanya (24-6) is in the midst of the toughest stretch of his career, now riding a four-fight losing streak with three consecutive stoppage losses. Prior to UFC Seattle, he was knocked out by Nassourdine Imavov (watch highlights), submitted by Dricus du Plessis (watch highlights), and outclassed by Sean Strickland (watch highlights).
Despite the skid, Adesanya remains one of the biggest stars in the sport, having headlined 13 consecutive events. The UFC now faces a choice: position him as a measuring stick for rising contenders like Gregory Rodrigues, or book him in another high-profile matchup — perhaps even a rematch with Paulo Costa, should the Brazilian return to Middleweight.
Either way, one thing is clear — Adesanya isn’t done yet.
Time will tell what the next chapter looks like.
For complete UFC Seattle results, coverage and highlights click HERE.
