Israel Adesanya is making significant changes to his training approach as he gears up for his next UFC bout, marking his first non-title fight in over six years.
The 35-year-old, who has faced a rough patch in recent times, is determined to make a strong comeback.
His coach, Eugene Bareman, revealed that Adesanya’s next fight camp will look markedly different from his previous ones as they prepare for a showdown with Nassourdine Imavov.
This fight will be Adesanya’s first since suffering defeats in three out of his last four bouts.
His most recent fight at UFC 305 in August 2024 ended in a submission loss to Dricus Du Plessis, following a loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 a year earlier.
Despite the setbacks, Adesanya remains focused on bouncing back and eventually earning another shot at the 185-pound title, which he lost to Du Plessis.
He will defend his title against Strickland in February 2025 at UFC 312 in Sydney, Australia.
Bareman discussed the drastic changes in their approach, which aim to address the issues that have affected Adesanya’s recent performances.
“There are a few things that I’m doing quite differently with Izzy for this fight. They’re a lot more drastic than what I’m usually accustomed to doing,” he told Combat TV.
Adesanya, who has been working with Bareman at City Kickboxing in Auckland, New Zealand for several years, won the middleweight title in 2019 under his coach’s guidance.
City Kickboxing has also produced UFC stars such as Alexander Volkanovski, Kai Kara-France, Dan Hooker, and Carlos Ulberg.
Bareman expressed confidence in the changes, saying, “He’s looking really, really good and responding really well to this slightly different approach. I’m looking for a very vintage performance from Israel, and so far, we’re on track for that.”
Adesanya’s fans are eagerly awaiting his return to form as he aims to make his mark once again in the UFC.
