Demetrious Johnson says Israel Adesanya should consider retiring after his TKO loss to Joe Pyfer last weekend. Johnson and other former champions worry Adesanya has nothing left to prove in the octagon.
Johnson: Adesanya has already done it all
Johnson, a former UFC flyweight champion, spoke about Adesanya on The Ariel Helwani Show. He praised Adesanya’s career and reasons why he thinks Adesanya should stop fighting.
Johnson said Adesanya has been a middleweight champion, defended the belt many times, and has made enough money to be comfortable. He pointed to Adesanya’s talents outside of fighting, saying he can be successful in many areas: dancing, DJing, and other projects.
Johnson also talked about why he fought hard when he needed money earlier in his own career. He explained the difference in mindset when a fighter feels like they must keep fighting to survive. He said, “For me, I feel like what made me so in fighting was one, I viewed it was a job. Two, I needed f*cking money, right? When you’re poor and you’re broke, you have a different mindset.”
On Adesanya he added: “So for me, I’m just like you’ve done everything. Just walk away from the sport. But I think that’s so hard for mixed martial artists or any professional athlete. And I think for me, when I see him fight, I’m like, ‘God, you don’t need to f*cking fight.’ I would [retire] if I was him. I would. 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 … I think he deserves to relax and enjoy himself and find something else.”
Sterling: Reflexes are a concern
Another former champion, Aljamain Sterling, spoke on his YouTube channel about Adesanya’s recent run of losses. Sterling highlighted a drop in reflexes as a key problem.
Sterling said he thought Adesanya’s reaction time is not as sharp as it used to be. He noted that Adesanya started the fight well by keeping distance in the first round, but then chose to stand and trade with Joe Pyfer. Sterling said that decision put Adesanya exactly where Pyfer needed him.
Adesanya is now on a losing streak of four fights in a row. That stretch has raised questions among fans and fellow fighters about whether he can return to his best form.
Quick fight facts
Here are the main recent results involving the two fighters mentioned in the conversation.
| Fighter | Recent Result |
|---|---|
| Israel Adesanya | TKO loss to Joe Pyfer (fourth loss in a row) |
| Joe Pyfer | TKO win over Israel Adesanya |
Johnson and Sterling both bring different views. Johnson focuses on what Adesanya has already achieved and the money he has earned. Sterling focuses on performance and physical decline. Both views add to the debate about whether Adesanya should keep fighting or step away to enjoy other opportunities.
Source: UFCcoverage
