UFC superstar Israel Adesanya believes retirement is just around the corner.
In a recent vlog, The Last Stylebender said he’s close to retirement and that he’s down to his last few fights. If so, that would cap off a whirlwind career for one of mixed martial arts’ best and most charismatic fighters ever.
“I know it’s less than 10. It can’t be past 10,” Adesanya said when asked specifically how many fights he has left in his storied career.
Now 36, Adesanya then outlined how he sees his career winding down in the next few years.
“I can fight one more time maybe towards the end of the year. That’s two fights. If I do two fights a year, next year I can still fight. 2028 is where I’d be like, ‘I don’t know yet,’” Adesanya said. “I can’t see past 2027…. I don’t think that far ahead at the moment, but I do glance at it, but I don’t really want to focus on that. I just know I’m on the tail end. I can see the finish line. I’ve been seeing the finish line, but now it’s closer.”
The two-time UFC middleweight kingpin is slated to return to the Octagon on March 20, 2026, against Joe Pyfer in UFC Fight Night.
A Career for the Ages for Adesanya
Adesanya is currently mired in a three-fight losing streak, including losses via submission to Dricus du Plessis and via TKO to Nassourdine Imavov. Prior to this slump, however, The Last Stylebender was among the UFC’s very best, losing only twice—against longtime rival Alex Pereira and light heavyweight contender Jan Blachowicz—in his first 24 fights for the promotion.
The Nigeria-born fighter also had two championship reigns at middleweight, winning the interim title in April 2019 with an epic five-rounder over Kevin Gastelum and then unifying the belt with a scintillating KO of Robert Whittaker. Adesanya defended the belt five times before losing it via TKO to Pereira in November 2022. The Last Stylebender promptly regained the gold in their rematch in April 2023, returning the favor with a vicious second-round KO of Poatan.
That run will be remembered in UFC lore as one of the best and most exciting, as Adesanya brought an undeniable flair to his fights. Now, it appears fans will be witnessing the end of an era in the next few years.
Indeed, the finish line is near. But The Last Stylebender might leave behind a few more highlights before he hangs up his gloves.
