In the UFC, the difference between the thrill and agony is often razor-thin. One night, a fighter can have their hand raised, basking in the roar of the crowd; the next, they can find themselves on the wrong end of a brutal knockout, questioning everything. Success and failure in the fight game are unpredictable, and even the greatest athletes experience both. Former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is currently experiencing a haunting narrative in the MMA world. Some even want him to call it quits on his illustrious career.

The former two-time middleweight champion, once known for gliding through the Octagon is now finding himself locked in a battle not just with opponents, but with time itself. Once untouchable, he was now facing the harsh reality of decline, his past brilliance clashing with the unforgiving nature of the fight game. The latest twist in this unfolding saga took place at UFC Saudi Arabia, where Israel Adesanya endured his third straight defeat, this time against Nassourdine Imavov. But what exactly did the former champion do wrong in his fight? Michael ‘Venom’ Page in a recent interview pointed out the mistake Adesanya made.

While speaking on the TalkSPORT MMA show he first made it clear that the former champion has a lot left in terms of his fighting career. However, he then pointed out why the fight ended in the way it did and said, “It’s just unfortunate. For me, his main mistake that he made during that fight was rushing to get back after he got poked in the eye. If you watched it, that first round it was exceptional. It was one-way traffic. Anybody can just get knocked out, that’s part of the game.” 

With this defeat, ‘Izzy’ finds himself not only sidelined from the title conversation but also holding a troubling 1-4 record in his last five fights. A stark contrast to the dominant champion who ruled the division for over four years.

Currently, ‘Izzy’ has no opponents waiting for him and will once again have to work his way back to title contention. So who should the former champion fight next? Is a rematch with Nassourinde Imavov the right way to go for ‘The Last Stylebender’? Well according to the 35-year-old, there’s one only reason which will force him to fight Imavov again.

Israel Adesanya shares the only condition for him to fight Nassourdine Imavov

Israel Adesanya’s UFC career has been defined not just by dominance but by the art of the rematch. Throughout his reign, he has faced familiar foes multiple times, proving that championship-level fights often demand second and even third encounters. His most famous rivalry is with Alex Pereira. After suffering a shocking knockout loss to Pereira at UFC 281, Adesanya wasted no time in demanding a rematch.

At UFC 287, he delivered a masterful performance, reclaiming his middleweight title with a stunning second-round knockout. The victory was more than just redemption—it was a defining moment in his career. But it seems he is not interested in repeating the same story with Imavov.

He took to his YouTube channel to share why he doesn’t want to fight and said, “Imavov beat me. People ask me like ‘You should get a rematch.’ I was like ‘Nah I’m good,’ like he beat me,”. However, he did not rule out the possibility of a second fight but only under one condition. He further added, “If maybe one day something for the belt happens or whatever, he has a title and then there’s a cool story. But right now, I’m like, I don’t need to. Like he beat me, fair game, that’s it, cool,”. 

In the UFC, failure isn’t always the end—it’s often the beginning of a new chapter. Fighters who embrace setbacks, learn from them, and adapt are the ones who rise again. Can the former champion learn from his past mistakes and come back again to win the belt? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.