![Israel Adesanya (pictured) will let the belt come back to him as he prepares for his third UFC title run, which starts at UFC Riyadh on Feb. 1 [Image courtesy: Getty Images]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/9e350-17378069840790-1920.jpg)
![Israel Adesanya (pictured) will let the belt come back to him as he prepares for his third UFC title run, which starts at UFC Riyadh on Feb. 1 [Image courtesy: Getty Images]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQF/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA//aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAh3QW/8QAHxAAAQMEAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgEDBQAEBhESIVEi/9oACAEBAAE/AIdCm8vto2xVwIx1shNHndOuELadEQjrjofKlMjjY+Tu7JXsnVbd42djJ9fK68r/xAAZEQACAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgAEIQP/2gAIAQIBAT8AvseNgomDJ//EABcRAQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAAP/2gAIAQMBAT8A5yVAu//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Israel Adesanya hopes to bounce back in style against Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Riyadh on Feb. 1 and have fun while doing so. The former two-time middleweight champion has suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time in his MMA career.
He lost the middleweight title to Sean Strickland at UFC 293, an unexpected result. Adesanya then returned against champion Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305, where he suffered a submission defeat in Round 4.
'The Last Stylebender' will compete in his first non-title fight since 2019 when he steps into the octagon against Imavov in the main event of the card. Ahead of the bout, he was interviewed by MMA Fighting and asked to share his thoughts on a potential third title run.
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The 35-year-old said this:
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"Same as I've always had it, I never really chased the belt. I always knew it would come around. I knew what I was going to do in the game, I knew it was going to keep coming around. So again, now I just plan on keep winning and it'll circle back. I'm not chasing the belt, but the belt chases me."
Check out Israel Adesanya's comments below (2:20):
Alexander Volkanovski says Israel Adesanya is in top form ahead of UFC Riyadh
Alexander Volkanovski is in the early stages of preparing for a fight camp as the former featherweight champion has hinted at a return to action in the coming months.
'The Great' took the time to venture to City Kickboxing in Auckland, New Zealand, the home of Dan Hooker, Israel Adesanya, Carlos Ulberg and many other elite fighters.
Volkanovski spent time sparring and training with his longtime friends and fellow Australasians, and has shared an exciting preview for the return of 'The Last Stylebender'.
During an interview with Sky Sports NZ, alongside Hooker, the featherweight contender was asked to discuss Adesanya's form ahead of UFC Riyadh. He said this:
"He was taking it easy. When it was my attack, I didn't even get close to him. That's a pretty good sign, I guess. I was like, 'Let me at least get a leg kick or something in!' Yeah, he's looking good."
Watch Alexander Volkanovski discussing Israel Adesanya below (13:15):
