“Feels refreshed and ready to go” – Coach talks about Israel Adesanya’s potential comeback amid UFC 300 main event uncertainty
Israel Adesanya's longtime coach, Eugene Bareman, recently stated that the former UFC middleweight champion has ended his temporary break from fighting. He is also actively seeking potential opponents.
'The Last Stylebender' declared last October that he would be taking a hiatus from active competition following his title fight defeat to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September.
Check out Israel Adesanya's comments below:
However, Adesanya has hinted in recent interviews that his break could be shorter than originally thought. In fact, based on his current training regimen, there's a possibility of him making a comeback to the octagon at UFC 300 in April.
During a recent interview with Combat TV, Bareman mentioned that Adesanya has resumed training and is ready to return to fighting:
"He’s back training, so he’s back in the swing of things. Yeah, look, we’re training just in case there’s an eventuality of a fight, so we’re getting him fit, and yeah, he’s getting ready to take up a potential date should one come up soon. He’s basically finished his little hiatus, and he’s ready to come back. So just give us a date, give us an opponent, and we’ll show up, ready to go."
He added:
"We’ve been going for a good month-and-a-half now. A couple more months, another month-and-a-half, he’ll be flying — back to pre-hiatus level. He’s looking good. It’s good to have him back in the gym. He has a renewed sort of energy, and he’s looking after himself really well. He’s been making the most of his time off, and he feels refreshed and ready to go."
Check out Eugene Bareman's comments below (0:15):
The most suitable opponent for Adesanya's return would likely be newly minted 185-pound champion Dricus du Plessis, who has a contentious history with 'The Last Stylebender.' However, 'Stillknocks' has expressed hesitation regarding his potential involvement in the promotion's landmark event, citing ongoing recovery from injuries sustained in his last fight against Strickland at UFC 297 in January.
Israel Adesanya doubles up with Super Bowl LVIII bet on Patrick Mahomes
Israel Adesanya doubled his earnings by placing a substantial bet on Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes to win the MVP title at Super Bowl LVIII.
The Super Bowl matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers took place on February 11 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. Although the 49ers were seen as slight favorites and held the lead on two occasions throughout the game, the Chiefs came back to secure a 25-22 overtime victory, marking their third Super Bowl win in five years.
Last week, 'The Last Stylebender' shared a screenshot on Instagram of his $20,000 wager on Mahomes to win MVP, highlighting a potential payout of $44,000.
Check out Israel Adesanya's post below: