Adesanya Dismisses Retirement Rumors, Eyes 2026 UFC Return

Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has dismissed retirement rumors and signaled a return to the Octagon in 2026, promising a more aggressive and risk-taking style unburdened by title pursuits. The 36-year-old fighter, currently ranked sixth in the middleweight division, shared these insights during a question-and-answer session at Bangtao Muay Thai and MMA in Thailand.

Adesanya's planned comeback follows a nearly year-long hiatus, his longest in the UFC. He last competed on February 1, 2025, in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, where he suffered a second-round knockout loss to Nassourdine Imavov just 30 seconds into the period. That defeat marked Adesanya's third consecutive loss and the fourth setback in his past five bouts, including high-profile defeats to Sean Strickland in 2023 and Alex Pereira in their initial UFC clash the previous year.

In the Q&A, Adesanya addressed frequent public encounters in his hometown of Auckland, where fans often assume his career has ended. "Whenever I'm out and about in Auckland, every day, I always get, 'Oh, are you retired?'" he said. "And at first, I had to explain myself. No, I'm just taking a break from...