Israel Adesanya has broken his silence about his UFC 293 loss to Sean Strickland. Adesanya posted an interview on his YouTube channel reflecting on his thoughts about his stunning title loss for the first time since the fight.
Adesanya described the fight as feeling like a “bad dream.” He explained that he didn’t feel scared but felt like he couldn’t land any effective strikes, comparing it to having “noodle arms.” He credited Strickland’s pressure and unique guard for not allowing him to find his rhythm.
He also mentioned that a change in opponent from Dricus du Plessis to Strickland might have affected his intensity. Adesanya admitted that he “just didn’t have that venom” for Strickland but still felt sharp in the back before the fight.
Regarding his future, Adesanya expressed his goal of becoming a three-time UFC middleweight champion and said that the belt is just a nice accessory. He’s not concerned about who holds the belt when he gets his next title shot.