‘I Almost Forgot How Great I Was’

Israel Adesanya will be in an unfamiliar position at UFC Saudi Arabia.

When he faces Nassourdine Imavov in the UFC Fight Night 250 main event, it will be the first time since February 2019 that “The Last Stylebender” won’t be involved in a championship bout. According to the former middleweight champion, that’s something that only concerns people on the outside looking in.

“I still get paid,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “There’s still a referee. There’s two of us in there. There’s still a crowd. So it’s not in the f—ing Apex or something. It doesn’t feel any different. I think people are making it out to be something how they would react to it but they’re not in my shoes. They’re not in my shorts.

“Yeah it’s different like, ‘Oh my God it must be eating him alive to be on a Fight Night.’ I was like, it’s a Saudi Arabia Fight Night. I still get paid.”

Adesanya is coming off the first two-fight losing streak of his professional career. The first of those — an upset loss to Sean Strickland that saw him relinquish his title — was one of the biggest surprises of 2023. He returned a little less than a year later at UFC 305, where he suffered a fourth-round submission defeat to current 185-pound champion Dricus Du Plessis. Despite the result, The Nigerian-born Kiwi came away relatively satisfied with his performance against his South African rival.

“The Dricus fight, I was in great shape,” Adesanya said. “ I f—king felt strong, but yeah, definitely room for improvement, and we’ve made those improvements.”

Now, Adesanya will face a rising contender in Imavov. The Frenchman has won his last three Octagon appearances and could be on the verge of a title shot with a victory over a former champion. However, Adesanya’s primary motivation is internal.

“I know he’s dangerous. I know he’s slick. I like his style. Very well-rounded. …It’s not about him. It’s about me,” Adesanya said. “It’s about improving. Just writing this chapter. I love the way things are playing out. It’s about showing what I can really do in the full range of mixed martial arts. You got a motherf—er swinging at you, trying to take your head off — you better be up.”

At 35 years old, Adesanya is one of the most accomplished middleweights in UFC history, but fighting still brings him enjoyment — especially when he’s competing at a high level.

“Because I can,” he said. “And I’m really, really good at it. I almost forgot how great I was.”

While Adesanya has achieved the vast majority of his goals, there’s at least one item he’d like to check off his bucket list before all is said and done.

“I’ve achieved my dreams in this game. I still have some more dreams to achieve but the main ones I have [achieved],” he said. “I’m gonna definitely get a submission. That’s definitely a big one. I don’t even care about the belt. I want to get someone’s f—king ankle or neck.”