UFC Seattle headliner Israel Adesanya won’t be following the likes of Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa to light heavyweight, he revealed during this week’s media day.
Adesanya (24-5) competed in a losing effort against Jan Blachowicz in 2021 in an attempt to claim a second belt at 205lbs. Since then, he’s focused on middleweight, where he twice reigned as UFC champion.
Noting that Whittaker, Costa, and perhaps even current 185lb champ Khamzat Chimaev were looking to make moves up in weight, Adesanya noted that “I like 185. This is where I’m at, this is where I’m ranked, so I’m going to stay.”
“The Last Stylebender” declined to speculate on what sort of success former foe Costa might have at light heavyweight, but noted that Whittaker had been “looking good in the gym,” going on to add “he’s still got it. I’ll tell you this much.”
Costa for one fights at light heavyweight next month. Adesanya returns to action this Saturday after over a year away, looking to snap a three-fight skid against Joe Pyfer.
“It’s good to clock back into work and do what I do best,” stated Adesanya while addressing the media. Asked whether he had missed the sport, or if MMA might have missed him, the former champ explained that “I have missed fighting, but I think the sport’s missed me. From what I’m hearing in my DMs, from fans, again, I was one of the last real ones who was active. Not trying to hold the belt for no reason, fighting everybody. So yeah, I’m happy to be back.”
When he imagines expressing himself in the cage on Fight Night, Adesanya set the scene by saying “I go in there, touch gloves, face off, get into my stance and I just go at him. Attack him straight away. When he tries to hit me, I’m not there.”
Adesanya expects to stuff a takedown, but bit his lip rather than reveal anything further about what he expects from Pyfer, or the dangers Joe poses. He summed it up by saying “I want to be clean. I want to go in there and let him hit fresh air.”
Watch the full UFC Seattle media day appearance by Israel Adesanya above.
