Israel Adesanya has navigated high-profile rivalries in UFC, including his trilogy with Alex Pereira, which has fueled fan discussions of his legacy amid recent setbacks. While Adesanya is not chasing the middleweight title anymore, ‘The Stylebender’, in a recent interview clip, disclosed a missed 2025 short-notice UFC middleweight bout against Reinier de Ridder. The match got derailed by a gym injury that prevented an exciting grappler-striker clash.

De Ridder, a Dutch submission specialist with 10 UFC-level finishes in ONE Championship, recently rebounded from a debut loss, highlighting his ground threat against Adesanya’s elite kickboxing. Adesanya, after missing his chance to fight in 2025, also estimates fewer than 10 fights remain in his career, projecting a possible retirement decision by 2028 as he approaches age 39.

Is this the finish line? Israel Adesanya reflects on missed chances, injuries, and the end of an era

“I was gonna fight last year, but then I got injured in the gym, and then that opportunity got taken away. It was a short-notice fight as well. I’ve never done one of those, so that would have been exciting. Who was the person? RDR On five weeks notice, six weeks notice, and I was already training. But then that moment got taken away from me. But that’s in hindsight the best thing.”

Adesanya’s short-notice resilience remained unseen due to his injury. Whether Izzy would have been dragged into a submission—especially against de Ridder’s staggering 80% submission rate—is a question fans will now never get answered.

Israel also talked about how he does not see a lot of time inside the octagon ahead of him: “In 2028, I will be like.. Can’t see past 2027. I don’t think that far ahead at the moment, but I do glance at it. Just know I’m on the tail end. I can see the finish line. I’ve been seeing the finish line, but now it’s closer.”

Adesanya’s candor is admirable, underscoring MMA’s transient nature where fighters often exit in their late 30s after 15-20 bouts on average per UFC data. With Adesanya’s talk of retirement, it makes the 90s born UFC lovers filled with nostalgia, and it can surely be said that it is the end of an era.

Not a comeback tour: Israel Adesanya returns as a wild card against Joe Pyfer in Seattle

Maybe thoughts of retirement cross

Israel Adesanya’s mind, but he does have some unfinished business to attend to this March 28th in Seattle. Izzy is headlining a UFC Fight Night event in Seattle against Joe Pyfer. This matchup marks his first fight in over a year following a hiatus. 

The former two-time UFC middleweight champion at this point in his career speaks with authority because he has reached the highest point in his career twice and now possesses knowledge that few people will ever achieve. In a recent Ariel Helwani show, Adesanya said, “I [was champion] twice. It can happen again. I’m still me. The middleweight division right now is not really the same as when I was in the game. I know they like me as a champion, but it’s not really my main focus. When it comes, it comes.”

“What was the last exciting thing at middleweight? Where people were talking about it. It’s good to have Khamzat [Chimaev] as champion — that was the last exciting thing. Since then, there’s not really been anything that feels [interesting].”

Now, he returns not as a savior or new superstar atop the weight class, but as a dangerous variable dropped back into the ecosystem of 185 pounds.

Pyfer brings raw physicality, a knockout threat, and the hunger of a rising contender looking to make his name. Adesanya recognizes exactly what the assignment represents. “It is just what I need to come back to — a dangerous opponent that they’re trying to feed me to,” Adesanya said.

Adesanya has created an entire period of history through his accomplishments, which may either lead to gold medals or priceless moments of celebration. He approaches his upcoming stage while maintaining complete awareness and experiencing an uncommon state of tranquility. The artist will enter Seattle to show that he remains active in the current battle for supremacy, rather than attempting to regain his former title.