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Israel Adesanya lost his middleweight belt at UFC 281 against Alex Pereira in a fight he was winning up until he got TKO'd.
The last round saw the Brazilian 'Poatan' stun the champion with his signature left hook. Following 'The Last Stylebender's first pro-MMA loss in the middleweight division, the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) has suspended the Kiwi indefinitely. But why?
Following the UFC 281 event, NYSAC decided to suspend 19 athletes indefinitely, one of which is Israel Adesanya. 'The Last Stylebender' has been given a mandatory rest period of 60 days.
The newly crowned champion Alex Pereira has also been suspended indefinitely with a mandatory rest period of 30 days. Adesanya had suffered a knockout blow to the head, so the NYSAC gave him a longer rest period.
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The commission hands out these suspensions for the well-being of the fighters so they can recover optimally. The NYSAC also handed a 90-day suspension to five fighters, out of which one was Frankie Edgar.
Chris Gutierrez knocked out the UFC veteran with a brutal knee. However, the suspension won't matter to Edgar, who has announced his retirement.
Israel Adesanya wants to take some time away after losing to Alex Pereira for the third time
Israel Adesanya has revealed that he wants to take some time away from training and MMA after losing for the second time in his UFC career. His former Glory Kickboxing rival beat him in the octagon as well on Saturday night after previously beating him twice in the Kickboxing ring. 'The Last Stylebender' is going to take some time away to focus on himself.
Adesanya believes he has earned a break after fighting for the third time in 10 months and having successfully defended his title five times. In an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, he said:
“I’m going to really enjoy myself and just chill. I’ll travel maybe, and help my teammates as well. Help them get ready for their respective fights, but I deserve this, I f***ing earned it. It was my third fight in 10 months as a champion, putting it on the line every single time."
Israel Adesanya also confirmed that when he does return to the UFC, his first fight back will be against Alex Pereira. 'The Last Stylebender' believes he has what it takes to beat 'Poatan' and is willing to fight him even if he is no longer the champion when he returns.
Take a look at the interview:
