Israel Adesanya (Image Credits: Imagn)

MMA Veteran Says Israel Adesanya Doesn’t Need To Fight Anymore

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Pavan Sharma | Last updated Apr 1, 2026 4:19 AM ET

Israel Adesanya had a really tough night at UFC Seattle as he lost against Joe Pyfer in the second round via TKO. This wasn’t just a loss for him; it was his fourth consecutive loss. After this many losses, many people started talking about Izzy’s retirement. Recently, Demetrious Johnson discussed Adesanya’s loss.

‘The Last Stylebender’ has one of the most title fights in the UFC and has defended his title 6 times. Meanwhile, he’s a two-time former middleweight champ now, and ‘Mighty Mouse’ thinks Adesanya has done enough and should retire. In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Johnson said (video here; warning: viewer discretion advised).

“Dawg, you don’t need to f------ fight, right? I would retire if I was him. I think he’s done everything, there’s nothing else for him to do.”

A lot of people thought that after losing this fight against Pyfer, the former middleweight champ would consider retirement. But during the post-fight octagon interview, ‘Izzy’ said he’s not retiring and is aiming to come back stronger. Fans hope the same, though some fans also want him to retire.

Matt Brown Questions Israel Adesanya’s Motivation to Fight

Israel Adesanya’s recent loss at UFC Seattle against Joe Pyfer was a tough moment for fans, marking his fourth straight defeat. Matt Brown shared a balanced take. He praised Adesanya’s performance but questioned his motivation moving forward. In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, he said:

“I thought Israel looked fantastic. I just don’t know what his motivation is to keep going.” He also added, “It certainly didn’t look like it last night, or has his time just come? That’s the way this sport works sometimes.”

.@iamtheimmortal is "torn"on Israel Adesanya’s future after 4 straight losses:

"I thought Israel looked fantastic. … I just don’t know what his motivation is to keep going." pic.twitter.com/RgKN28LQFn
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) March 31, 2026

Despite the loss, Adesanya showed flashes of his old form early in the fight, but things fell apart once it went to the ground against Joe Pyfer. Even after the setback, Adesanya made it clear he’s not retiring and still believes in himself. But who he’ll fight next is the question now.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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