Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya may be on the first losing skid of his career, but the latest defeat has left him better off mentally.
Adesanya made his return to action just under a year on from his setback last September, returning to Australian soil to challenge for Dricus Du Plessis' gold in the main event of UFC 305.
"The Last Stylebender" took a hiatus from the sport after being shockingly thrust off the throne by Sean Strickland at the Sydney-held UFC 293, citing his frequent activity as a factor that hampered his performance.
During his break, Adesanya refined his preparation and placed increased emphasis on areas such as nutrition and strength. And upon his return, the Nigerian-New Zealander played his part in one of the year's best championship fights, going toe-to-toe with Du Plessis for the best part of four rounds.
Adesanya was ultimately submitted in the penultimate frame, a result that has halted his planned rise to three-time champ status and sent him on the first run of defeats his career has seen.
While some might have expected such a fact to leave him in a similar place as the period post-UFC 293 last year, "The Last Stylebender" says that is far from the case...
Adesanya Happy To Have 'Showcased' More At UFC 305
During an interview uploaded to his FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel, Adesanya reflected on his unsuccessful title challenger inside the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, this past weekend.
The former two-time middleweight kingpin continued to show humility and positivity in defeat, acknowledging that it wasn't his night but insisting he was pleased with the performance he put in.
That is a far cry from how he looked at the surprise setback at the hands of Strickland 11 months ago.
For me, I'm like, you know what? It's cool. It was his night. Good for him," Adesanya said. "This morning, I remember thinking like, 'What's next?' ... People think I need to get this one back. Nah, I'm chill. We'll see what happens. I don't know what's next. I haven't really thought that far (ahead). I just know I want to keep training, I want to keep getting better.
I'm in a better headspace than I was after the last fight — way better," Adesanya continued. "I actually enjoyed the performance, and I felt like I got to showcase a lot more of who I am, rather than just fighting injured and not really showcasing who I am. I just want to get back to the gym after this trip.
It remains to be seen what could come next for Adesanya, who appeared firm in dismissing any retirement talk in the aftermath of the UFC 305 main event.
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