New Update From Two-Time UFC Champion Kicks Off Speculation for Next UFC Fight

Is "The Last Stylebender" already in camp for his next fight?

(Zuffa LLC)

It looks like one of the most decorated UFC champions in recent memory may be preparing for his return to the cage.

The UFC is coming off a busy week to close out August and kick off September, as last week featured a Dana White’s Contender Series card on Tuesday and Road to UFC event on Friday before UFC Shanghai took place at the Oriental Sports Center on Saturday.

The promotion is desperately in need of major names to help fill out some of the big end-of-year events lined up to conclude its 2026 schedule, and the UFC already appears to be scrambling to bolster UFC 332 with just over a month to go until the event goes down in Salt Lake City.

Israel Adesanya Update Kicks Off Speculation Around Next UFC Fight

One name that could easily serve as a UFC Fight Night headliner or co-main event on a numbered card is two-time UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya, who currently finds himself on the worst losing run of his entire combat sports career.

Israel Adesanya (red gloves) enters the arena before the fight against Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Climate Pledge Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Fans last saw “The Last Stylebender” in action during the headlining fight for UFC Seattle in March, and a recent Instagram post from Adesanya’s nutritionist Jack Doherty has kicked off speculation that the former champion may be starting camp for his next fight.

"The Last Stylebender" Last Got His Hand Raised in 2023

A former kickboxer, Adesanya joined the UFC in 2018 and secured five wins to bring his MMA record to 16-0 and set himself up for a shot at UFC gold.

The 37-year-old defeated Kelvin Gastelum in an epic war that’s now enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame to claim the interim middleweight belt at UFC 236, and later that year Adesanya unified the middleweight titles by knocking out Robert Whittaker.

Kelvin Gastelum (red gloves) fights Israel Adesanya (blue gloves) during UFC 236 at State Farm Arena. Adesanya won by unanimous decision. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“The Last Stylebender” defended his title twice before a failed double-champ bid against Jan Blachowciz at UFC 253, but a return to middleweight saw him secure three more title defenses until he was knocked out by his former kickboxing rival Alex Pereira in late 2022.

Alex Pereira (red gloves) fights Israel Adesanya (blue gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Adesanya reclaimed his belt in an immediate rematch with Pereira before suffering a sizeable upset at the hands of Sean Strickland, which kicked off what has now turned into a four-fight skid that’s seen the 37-year-old lose via finish in his last three outings.

Who Should Israel Adesanya Fight After Four-Straight Losses?

The two-time UFC champion was given a comparative step down in competition for his last fight against Joe Pyfer but was stopped with strikes in the second round, which raises the question of who Adesanya could possibly face his next time out.

Israel Adesanya (red gloves) fights Joe Pyfer (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Climate Pledge Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Still ranked at #10 in the Meta UFC middleweight rankings, Adesanya would likely find himself matched up with someone in the bottom part of the Top 15 unless the UFC opts to book him against a higher-ranked fighter that’s also coming off a loss.

Israel Adesanya talks to the media after losing to Sean Strickland (not pictured) during UFC 293 at Qudos Bank Arena. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Bo Nickal is a name that immediately jumps out as a possibility at #13, or the UFC could opt for a slightly less high-profile fight with #12-ranked Ikram Aliskerov after Aslikerov secured his third-straight win against Brunno Ferreira in June.