Israel Adesanya suffered his fourth straight loss while headlining UFC Fight Night 271. After the fight, Hall of Famer Demetrious Johnson publicly urged Adesanya to consider retirement.
Fight recap
At UFC Fight Night 271, Israel Adesanya, known as “The Last Stylebender,” faced Joe Pyfer in the main event. It was Adesanya’s first fight in nearly 14 months. Late in the second round, Pyfer scored a TKO to stop Adesanya. Adesanya was left on the mat as the referee ended the bout.
The loss marks Adesanya’s fourth straight defeat. It also continues a rough stretch in his career: he has only one win in his last six fights.
| Fighter | Recent Result |
|---|---|
| Israel Adesanya | Lost by TKO to Joe Pyfer (fourth straight loss) |
| Joe Pyfer | Won by TKO over Israel Adesanya |
Hall of Famer’s call for retirement
Demetrious Johnson, a recent UFC Hall of Fame inductee, said on “The Ariel Helwani Show” that he would like to see Adesanya retire. Johnson told Helwani, “I would like to see him retire. There’s nothing else for him to do in mixed martial arts. I think he’s done everything, and you’re not even considering the kickboxing matches he’s had as well.”
Johnson explained his view with a personal angle. He said that when he was fighting, money was a big reason he kept going and took tough weight cuts. Now, Johnson suggested, Adesanya might not need the money. If that is true, Johnson asked, what is Adesanya fighting for?
Johnson added that stepping away is very hard for any professional athlete, even when it might be the right choice.
Career context and what comes next
Adesanya is a former UFC Middleweight Champion. Earlier in his career, he ran through his first 24 professional MMA fights with only one loss. That lone defeat in that stretch came against Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259 in March 2021.
Now facing a four-fight losing streak and just one win in his last six bouts, questions about Adesanya’s future in the sport are growing louder. He has a major legacy in both MMA and kickboxing, but the latest results have led some voices, like Johnson’s, to say it may be time to walk away.
