"I don’t want to be waiting around" - Israel Adesanya shuts door on Sean Strickland rematch, says he’s moved on

It appears Israel Adesanya isn't holding his breath for a Sean Strickland rematch to materialize. The former UFC middleweight champion recently shared his thoughts on potentially running it back with Strickland in the future, stating that while he looks forward to fighting again, he has moved on from a potential 'Tarzan' rematch.

Adesanya lost the middleweight title to Strickland after getting outpointed by the American over five rounds at UFC 293 in September 2023. While many expected Adesanya to dominate the fight, Strickland's pressure and tenacity proved too much for the Nigerian-born Kiwi to handle. Strickland later lost the title to Dricus du Plessis via split decision at UFC 297 in January 2024.

In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Adesanya clarified his stance on a potential Strickland rematch and said:

"If you want to get something done right, do it right the first time — that’s the lesson I learned. He’s doing other things in his own life; he’s made the money he wanted to make. I don’t want to be waiting around. I’ve moved on, I just wanna fight. But we'll see."

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When Israel Adesanya revealed that Dana White didn't want him to accept the Sean Strickland fight

Earlier this year, Israel Adesanya recalled a conversation he had with UFC CEO Dana White about taking the Sean Strickland fight. 'The Last Stylebender' revealed that White urged him against excessive activity and discouraged him from accepting the fight.

In an interview on the Young Man Ramble show, Adesanya outlined details of the conversation and said:

"I was like, ‘No, I have to fight in Sydney. I have to fight. I haven’t fought on this side of the world in so long. And then Dana was like, ‘Listen, kid. You’ve got enough money. Just chill out for a little while.' So I was like, ‘Nah.’ I went all stubborn, and then in hindsight, I’m like maybe Dana was right. Maybe I should have just chilled. But again, look, I love these stories. This is how it’s supposed to happen. Adversity is a privilege. Amen." [H/t: MMA Fighting]

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