Regardless of the result this weekend — and in any future fight, for that matter — former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya believes his legacy in mixed martial arts is safe.
Adesanya established himself as an all-time great at 185 pounds with a lengthy first title reign and an emphatic regaining of the gold against Alex Pereira to achieve two-time status.
But the days of his dominance over the division appear to be behind him, with the Nigerian-New Zealander coming off consecutive defeats at the hands of Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis.
Looking to make it three losses on the bounce is Nassourdine Imavov, who is set to battle Adesanya in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia. If the Frenchman achieves the feat, questions over “The Last Stylebender’s” future will no doubt arise.
One thing that won’t be questioned, according to Adesanya, is his lasting legacy on MMA’s biggest stage.
“I feel honestly, God forbid if I lose my next 10 fights, it wouldn’t affect my legacy,” Adesanya told reporters during media day in Riyadh. “I put pressure on myself. Don’t get me wrong, when it comes time, I will put pressure on myself. If [Imavov] doesn’t feel the pressure good on him, but he’ll find out.”
It remains to be seen what the future holds for Adesanya and how many more battles he’s got left inside the Octagon.
For now, his focus will be 100 percent on having his hand raised inside anb Arena and recording his first victory since April 2023.
