According to Israel Adesanya’s coach, Eugene Bareman, the former middleweight champion is returning to the octagon with renewed passion and enthusiasm, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Adesanya is set to make his return to the UFC at the 305 event where he will challenge Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight title, marking his longest break between fights during his UFC career.
Adesanya, known as “The Last Stylebender,” rose rapidly to the top of the 185-pound division and became one of the most active and reliable champions in UFC history.
However, following a shocking loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 last year, Adesanya announced he would take a break. Despite being tempted by an opportunity to headline UFC 300, he stuck to his plan, and he will be making his return on August 17 in Perth, 11 months after his last fight.
Coach Bareman believes this break has led Adesanya to develop a deeper appreciation for his career. The City Kickboxing head coach observed that the hiatus has reignited Adesanya’s enthusiasm for training and competing.
Speaking to Combat TV, Bareman said, “Yeah, I mean, love what you do and appreciate what you do and if you haven’t done it for a while because you’ve been out then show appreciation for it and understand that you might have missed it and understand that you can’t do this forever. I think that’s where Israel’s at in his head.”
“He’s been on a bit of a layoff since he last fought and you know, this is what you were born to do, this is what you love, this is why you were put on this earth and so I think it’s just him coming to appreciate it and making the most of the time you can do this.”
Adesanya’s return is highly anticipated, and with this newfound passion, fans are eager to see how “The Last Stylebender” will perform in his comeback fight.
