Watching from the outside as a former champion, Israel Adesanya is starting to see a gap in the middleweight division that wasn’t as obvious when he was in the thick of it. With Khamzat Chimaev now holding the belt at 15-0 but fighting just once a year since 2022, the contrast is hard to ignore. ‘The Last Stylebender’ isn’t just evaluating the new champion, he’s reassessing his own run. Because what once felt like routine activity now looks like an exception. And in a division that used to move quickly, he believes that pace has slowed down. Speaking to ESPN MMA, Adesanya pointed to the contrast directly.

“I mean look at the middleweight division now. Khamzat was a very active guy coming up, smoking everybody, fighting multiple times,” Adesanya said. “I think twice in a month, even at one point. And now that he’s champion, I’m not sure what the deal is. Is it visa issues? Is it injuries? I’m not sure. But now he’s got a fight coming up.

But the last active champion was me. The last guy who put it on the line regardless every time, called out the best, was me. Yeah, that’s one thing I can say that people didn’t appreciate till, even I didn’t appreciate till now that I’m here watching it.”

Chimaev has fought just once per year in 2023, 2024, and 2025, despite going 15-0 and capturing the title with a dominant 50-44 performance over Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319. Now, let’s compare that to Adesanya’s run. After winning and unifying the interim title against Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 in 2019, he fought 7 times till 2022.

As he put it, “This game is slow and just stuck without me.” That might sound like ego at first, but there’s context behind it. Middleweight or any other division, for that matter, has always been driven by momentum. When the champion fights often, contenders cycle faster. New matchups emerge. Storylines build naturally. When that slows down, everything else does too.

It’s interesting to note that earlier, after Chimaev won the belt at UFC 319, Adesanya actually praised him, saying the division was “in good hands” and highlighting his improved cardio over five rounds. So what changed? Not the respect for Chimaev’s skill. That’s still there. If anything, Adesanya acknowledged how complete he’s become, from explosive finishes early in his career to controlling five rounds at the championship level. But the issue is availability.

Right now, the Chechen warrior is scheduled to defend his title against Sean Strickland at UFC 328 on May 9. That’s his first defense. Strickland brings pressure, durability, and a style that can drag fights into uncomfortable territory. So there’s a real chance the division picks up again. But Israel Adesanya’s point still lingers. As for ‘The Last Stylebender, ’ he returns to action against Joe Pyfer in Seattle and has now added a former rival to his training camp!

Israel Adesanya brings in “GOAT” Robert Whittaker to prepare for UFC Seattle

As he prepares for his return against Joe Pyfer in Seattle, Adesanya has brought in Robert Whittaker. Not as an opponent this time, but as a training partner. It’s a shift that says a lot about where he is right now. Three straight losses, including a knockout to Nassourdine Imavov, have forced him to reassess things.

“Rob, man, honestly, one of the best dudes in the game,” Adesanya stated on his YouTube channel.

He praised him not just as a fighter, but as “one of the GOATs at middleweight” and someone he respects beyond the cage. That matters, especially when you consider their history. Their first ended in a second-round knockout in 2019. The second was a competitive decision in 2022. At one point, this was one of the division’s defining rivalries. Now? It’s a collaboration.

From a technical standpoint, it makes sense. Whittaker brings a different look. Quick entries, layered striking, strong defensive wrestling. The kind of style that can help Israel Adesanya prepare for someone like Pyfer, who carries power and unpredictability but hasn’t yet faced this level of experience. There’s also the mental side. Training with someone who’s pushed you before forces a different kind of focus.

And that’s where this ties back to the bigger picture. Israel Adesanya talked about activity and what he gave to the division. Now he’s in a different phase. Fewer fights, more adjustments. The question is simple: Does this version of Adesanya still have one more run left?