Israel Adesanya isn’t quite as downhearted about his performance against Nassourdine Imavov as fans might expect.
On February 1, ‘The Last Stylebender’ made his eagerly-anticipated comeback against a tough Frenchman with a point to prove.
And with the opportunity of a lifetime dangled in front of him, the 29-year-old seized the moment, rendering the former champion unconscious with a thunderous shot.
However, while many, including Dricus Du Plessis, now think Adesanya is finished at the top-level, the fighter himself is still relatively pleased with his performance.
Israel Adesanya says he won’t change anything after brutal knockout loss
After such a devastating defeat, many would presume that Israel Adesanya would head back to the drawing board and figure out where it all went wrong.
However, on this occasion, despite the nature of the result, the Nigerian-born legend is convinced that he did everything right.
When asked what he thought about his performance, the former kickboxer replied: “Awesome. I wouldn’t change a thing about this camp; I felt great. Next fight is going to be even better. I’m going to chase the red again, do everything I did [again], sacrifice.
“I use the solitude to fire myself up for this. That’s why now I’ve finished the camp, had the fight, done well, I’m just going to enjoy myself. I work hard and play hard.”
Sean Strickland breaks his silence on Israel Adesanya’s defeat
Throughout his time in combat sports, Adesanya has had many fiery rivalries, with his feud with Sean Strickland being one of his most heated.
The pair shared a brutal war of words in the lead-up to their contest, with the American eventually walking the walk to win the fight and relieve the flashy striker of his championship belt.
Taking their history into account, Strickland has given a very interesting view of Adesanya’s loss.