Adesanya’s First UFC Losing Streak
Israel Adesanya left UFC 305 with the first two-fight losing streak of his UFC career. After losing a unanimous decision to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September 2023, he returned nearly a year later and was submitted by Dricus du Plessis in the fourth round of their middleweight title bout in Perth.
A rare run of setbacks
Adesanya had spent much of the previous several years near the top of the division. He regained the middleweight title by knocking out Alex Pereira at UFC 287 in April 2023, then lost it to Strickland later that year. His UFC 305 appearance was his first fight since that defeat and ended with Du Plessis retaining the championship by face crank at 3:38 of round four.
The two losses came in different ways: Strickland used pressure and a steady pace to earn the judges’ decision, while Du Plessis secured a late submission after a competitive contest. The results left Adesanya facing questions about what he wanted next, but they did not by themselves answer whether he would return to title contention.
What comes next
Adesanya had previously rebounded from setbacks, including the loss to Pereira, with a major win. At the time of the UFC 305 result, any immediate rematch or return date remained unconfirmed. His next step would depend on his own plans and the UFC’s middleweight matchmaking, rather than on speculation about retirement or a guaranteed title opportunity.
Sources: UFC fighter history; UFC 293 results; UFC 305 results.
Sources
Tags: MMA
