Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has vowed to return to the octagon after announcing that he is taking a break from the UFC.
Israel Adesanya decided to embark on the break about a month after he lost his Middleweight belt to an underdog, Sean Strickland in Sydney, Australia.
His defeat to the 32-year-old American mixed martial artist is said to be the biggest upset in MMA history.
The 34-year-old Nigerian-born Australian fighter said his break from UFC is to help him refocus, change his way of life, and prepare for the future after suffering his third competitive loss in the UFC.
“I’m not making any excuses. Strickland got me on the night because he was the better fighter on the night, and he did his work well. He had a good team behind him. Now I’m going to take time to look after myself. I’m not going to fight for a long time. I’m definitely not going to retire, because that’s not me,” Adesanya told The Rock FM.
“But if I did, I’m fine. I don’t need to prove anything else. But I know what I can do, and I know what I can change in my lifestyle to make my body adapt to where I need to be. I’m going to heal myself up, you won’t see me fight for a long time.”
He added, “Four fights in the last 14 months, takes a toll on your body.
“I’m just going to take my time to heal, and then when I come back, f**king run for the hills”.
Israel Adesanya revealed that Khamzat Chimaev could have been his opponent at UFC 294, but his team declined the opportunity due to his sabbatical.
On Saturday, October 21, the unbeaten Chimaev will face fellow Nigerian fighter Kamaru Usman instead.
Meanwhile, Adesanya admitted guilty to charges of drunk driving in New Zealand and now faces a sentence of up to $2,680 in fines or three months in jail.
On August 19, Adesanya was stopped, and it was found that he had a blood alcohol level of 87 milligrams per 100 milliliters. The legal limit in New Zealand is 50 milligrams.
He will go back to court on January 10 to receive his punishment.
[NaijaNews]