israel adesanya is in a different headspace now — and it sounds like a dangerous one for anyone booked across from him in the ufc. At 36, the former middleweight king isn’t talking about legacy padding or belt politics. He’s talking about freedom: fighting like he did on the way up, when he was loose, creative, and willing to fail in public if it meant creating something special.
That mindset comes at an interesting time. Adesanya’s recent stretch has been rough by his own standards, and it’s changed the conversation around him. Instead of the “championship rounds” era where every move looked optimized for winning decisions and defending status, he’s openly saying he wants to take risks again — the type of risks that made him must-watch in the first place.
Israel Adesanya says he wants to go back to fighting like how he did before he became UFC champion 👀
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 26, 2025
"For me, it's not about belts anymore. I just wanna fight, I just wanna do things like I did on the way to the belt.
I still fought really well when I was defending the belt,… pic.twitter.com/bOa01ym4Tl
“Izzy by submission?” The risky era might be back
One of his examples wasn’t even a strike. He brought up the moment he tried an Imanari roll — basically a leg-attack entry that can look genius or ridiculous depending on how it lands. That move is named after Japanese MMA cult legend masakuzu imanari, and Adesanya specifically tied it to his earlier style: experimental, aggressive, and a little chaotic.
He even referenced that exact night against brad tavares, pointing fans back to Fight: Adesanya vs. Tavares as the kind of performance where he felt free enough to try weird stuff mid-fight.
Where Adesanya stands after the Imavov loss
Adesanya hasn’t fought since the loss to Nassourdine Imavov, a result that still hangs over his immediate future. If you want the matchup context, here’s Fight: Imavov vs. Adesanya — the kind of fight that can either push a veteran toward the exit, or push him toward reinvention.
Israel Adesanya names the Paulo Costa finish as the best work in his career 🧐 pic.twitter.com/2i2QNJ01ZA
— MMA On Point (@mmaonpoint) December 27, 2025
The scary part for opponents
If this version of Adesanya really stops fighting “to protect” and starts fighting “to create,” it changes the vibe completely. Whether his next booking is a contender fight, a bounce-back spot, or something bigger, the message is clear: he’s not chasing another shiny belt — he’s chasing the kind of performance people remember.
