Former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya (24-3 MMA) faced a challenging bout against Sean Strickland (28-5 MMA) at UFC 293 last September. The match ended up as a loss for Adesanya. However, the 34-year-old is not one to stay down for long.
Recovering from an undisclosed injury, Adesanya is determined to make a return to the gym by the end of February. Despite the setback, he remains tight-lipped about the specifics of his injury.
Speaking with Combat TV, Adesanya said: “Yeah, we’re good, we’re good. The difference is, a lot of people, when they get hurt in the game, they like to ‘Ah, I got this injury and it’ll take this long to recover and whatnot.’ I’m like ‘Why are you telling them?’ A smart coach who knows that injury exists will try and use it against you. I never like to let the enemy know what’s my next move.”
“But so far I’m recovering very well and I’m on track.”
Adesanya also shared insights into his recovery process, emphasizing a holistic approach to healing.
He said: “When I come back into the gym and start training full-time, I’m in a new space with a new energy. Probably end of next month, maybe. With the way I heal my body I don’t think it’ll take that long, but yeah, end of next month I’m probably thinking. I’m going to do rehab now … and yeah, things are trucking along quite nicely, tracking along quite nicely.”
Looking ahead to 2024, Adesanya hints at significant changes in his approach to the game. He hopes that these changes will help him make a successful return.
He said: “2024 holds, in the game, a lot of things for me. A lot of unanswered questions for myself that I look to answer this year. I swear to God, I want to say more but I don’t, cuz I’m keeping it to myself. But like I said, changes have been made, and I feel those changes and I’m like ‘Right, now let’s see what training and fighting is like with these changes.’”