Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is currently experiencing the roughest stretch of his career. The Nigerian-New Zealander has hit the first three-fight losing streak of his professional journey. In his most recent bout, he went toe-to-toe with Nassourdine Imavov. However, for the first time, signs of aging began to show. Over the past six months, the 36-year-old has remained out of the Octagon and currently has no opponent scheduled.

Talks of a rematch with Sean Strickland had started circulating, but Sean Strickland’s “indefinite” suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission derailed those plans. The commission handed down the punishment after Strickland’s conduct while cornering his Xtreme Couture teammate at an MMA event in June, casting Adesanya vs. Strickland 2 into uncertainty. Although Israel Adesanya had been aiming for a return soon, he may have just found a lifeline.

Reinier de Ridder reflects on Israel Adesanya’s striking edge

Reinier de Ridder publicly expressed interest in fighting Israel Adesanya, framing the challenge around how much he “admires” the former champion. Still, not everyone sees it as a smart move. UFC veteran Chael Sonnen warned any top-five middleweight against considering a bout with Izzy. He called Adesanya the “wrong guy,” arguing that fighting him won’t help de Ridder become a top contender.

Nevertheless, Reinier de Ridder, who, after his latest win, has entered the top five at middleweight, appears eager to move forward.

In his latest interview with MMA Fighting SBN, he praised Israel Adesanya’s striking skills and offered an honest self-assessment. De Ridder said: “I don’t know. It will never look as pretty as it does with Adesanya, for instance. But, uh, hopefully I’ll get some respect for it eventually. And I’m very proud that I was able to do this mostly striking. In the beginning of the third, I thought I was going to put him away, but then I got a bit too overzealous. So, uh, I still have some experience to gain in finishing with the striking.”

Meanwhile, de Ridder has quickly emerged as a rising force in the UFC. Riding a four-fight win streak, he’s already taken out names like Bo Nickal and Robert Whittaker. Since making his promotional debut in November last year, the former two-division ONE Championship titleholder has fought three times in under a year and broken into the top five of the middleweight rankings. With momentum building, de Ridder could be eyeing a showdown with Israel Adesanya before the year comes to a close.

What is Israel Adesanya’s return timeline?

“I will relax first for a little bit, just help the teammates who have fights coming up, and yeah, see what I want to. I was going to do that anyway,” declared Israel Adesanya back in February, shortly after the French-Dagestani rising star Nassourdine Imavov handed him a decisive second-round defeat, beating the seasoned kickboxer at his own striking game.

The loss marked Israel Adesanya’s third in a row, pushing him dangerously close to dropping out of the top five in the rankings. Still, Izzy’s legendary stature in the sport remains unquestioned. As time continues to test every fighter, and with no clear challengers stepping forward, Adesanya offered a rare update on his plans during the UFC Hall of Fame event in July 2025.

“I want to, but he’s busy at the moment with other stuff, so that’s him,” Israel Adesanya told reporters. “But we’ll see. I’ll pick a fight this weekend.” When speaking about his comeback, the Nigerian-Kiwi hinted at a potential return on the UFC’s October 2025 Middle East pay-per-view card, admitting it “sounds nice.”

With no opponent confirmed yet, who should Israel Adesanya face in his return? Should it be Reinier de Ridder, or is there someone else you’d rather see across the Octagon? Drop your pick below.