Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is more motivated than ever to turn around his career.
Adesanya (24-6 MMA, 13-6 UFC) revealed that his next fight is official, which is rumored to be a UFC Fight Night headliner against Shara Magomedov in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Dec. 5.
"We just signed the contract yesterday," Adesanya said on his "Precision Podcast." "Finally, both of them. You know, you've got the disclosed purse and the other one. All I'm going to say is there's going to be blood in the sand. It's easy to talk because I've lost my last four, but it's all good. There will be blood in the sand, and it's not going to be me."
Since reclaiming his UFC middleweight title by knocking out Alex Pereira at UFC 287, Adesanya has dropped
four straight fights to current champ Sean Strickland, former champ Dricus Du Plessis, Nassourdine Imavov, and most recently Joe Pyfer in March.
"The Last Stylebender" is expected to headline his 14th straight UFC event and said he's starting to enjoy the process again.
"I've missed this sh*t," Adesanya said. "The last three years have just not been fun. I've been lost, so I'm found again. I just can't wait to showcase everything. Yeah, you'll see. You know me, I speak from the heart, and I don't want to let this get bigger. I just want to show you guys."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Israel Adesanya admits 'last three years have just not been fun' but feels reinvigorated
