Israel Adesanya Addresses Future Amid Four-Fight UFC Losing Streak: ‘The Grass Is Green on This Side’

Despite a rough stretch inside the octagon, Israel Adesanya is not ready to walk away from fighting. The former UFC middleweight champion has been open about his plans to continue competing, pushing back against speculation that his career may be winding down.

Adesanya is currently riding a four-fight losing streak in the UFC’s middleweight division — a stark fall from the dominant run that saw him capture and defend the 185-pound title multiple times. That skid has naturally fueled questions from fans and observers about whether the New Zealand-based Nigerian fighter still has the desire and motivation to press on at the highest level of mixed martial arts.

His answer, for now, appears to be an unequivocal yes. In his own words, Adesanya stated that he is “still adamant that the grass is green on this side,” signaling that he sees plenty of reason to keep fighting rather than consider retirement or a transition to another combat sports venture.

For a fighter of Adesanya’s stature — a man who unified titles, put on memorable performances against the likes of Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa, and spent years as one of the sport’s biggest stars — a four-fight skid is a significant and unusual development. Whether he can recapture the form that made him a household name in combat sports remains to be seen, but based on his own comments, he believes the best path forward is still through the cage.