Adesanya On His Future – ‘I Can’t See Past 2027’

Originally posted on BoxingNews.com | Last updated Feb 10, 2026 2:27 AM ET

Israel Adesanya is being transparent about his future as he prepares for his headline return on March 28 against Joe Pyfer.

Adesanya finds himself at a crossroads, looking to rebuild momentum after the first three-fight losing streak of his life. Adesanya is looking to erase the memory of consecutive losses to Sean Strickland, Dricus Du Plessis, and most recently, a second-round TKO defeat to Nassourdine Imavov. For the first time in his career, many sportsbooks have Adesanya as the underdog.

Adesanya indicated he likely has two years of top-flight competition left. His goal is to preserve his cognitive and physical health for the life that follows the Octagon. Adesanya stated that once he retires, he will not come back.

While he remains a competitor, Adesanya has already successfully transitioned into his next passion. He made his professional debut as a disc jockey at the AfroSoul Festival in New Zealand last year, a career he plans to pursue full-time once his UFC contract is complete.

Adesanya Reacts

“Less than 10. Who knows? I know it’s less than 10. It can’t be more than 10. So if I fight now, I fight one more time towards the end of the year, maybe. That’s two fights. If I do two fights a year, next year I can still fight. 2028 is going to be like, I don’t know yet. I can’t see past 2027. I don’t know. I don’t think that far ahead at the moment. I do glance at it, and I just know I’m on the tail end. I can see the finish line. I’ve been seeing the finish line in the distance, but now it’s closer.

“Like I said, there’s more to life than just fighting. I can just be a DJ. That was four months of work, and I killed that sht. If I do this every day, like i do camps, f**k. I don’t just DJ. I perform. I put on a show. It’s not the same. We also have Hollywood knocking at the door. But I rather go to EA, Activision, all these video game companies and do games,” Adesanya stated

The Legacy

Adesanya holds the record for the second-most title fight wins in UFC middleweight history (8), trailing only Silva. His 12-fight winning streak in the division is also second only to the Brazilian. Adesanya became the champion just 20 months after his UFC debut, fighting seven times in that span.

Adesanya’s legacy is also defined by his ability to overcome psychological hurdles, specifically in rivalries. His career-long rivalry with Alex Pereira is arguably the most compelling storyline in combat sports history. After losing twice in kickboxing and once in the UFC to Pereira, Adesanya’s second-round KO at UFC 287 to regain his title was a “legacy-saving” moment.

This article first appeared on BoxingNews.com and was syndicated with permission.

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