Israel Adesanya is coming off of back-to-back title fight losses in his last two outings. If it were anyone else, it would be safe to say they would have to beat at least a couple of top-ranked guys before they get back in the title picture. But this is Israel Adesanya, who had been a dominant champ for five years and one of the UFC’s biggest needle movers. This is why Kamaru Usman thinks that ‘Izzy’ may well fight for the title again by the end of the year if things play out favorably.

“Okay, so here’s here’s the thing. Dricus Du Plessis gets by Sean Strickland, Du Plessis loses the belt to Khamzat Chimaev. Potentially, we finally get the matchup that we originally wanted, which was Israel Adesanya versus Khamzat Chimaev, who knows? Who knows? So I’m just saying it’s a change, it could be, it could be Khamzat, it could be Israel, it could be Dricus, but I think there would be a change,” Usman told co-host Henry Cejudo on their ‘Pound 4 Pound’ podcast.

As of now, middleweight kingpin Dricus Du Plessis is set to rematch Sean Strickland at UFC 312. Most, including even Usman, are already writing off ‘Tarzan’ for some strange reason even though he arguably won the first fight. But if Du Plessis does beat Strickland in their rematch, Khamzat Chimaev will most probably be next in line.

In the meantime, the same month Du Plessis fights Strickland, Adesanya will face #5 ranked Nassourdine Imavov in Saudi Arabia. And Usman thinks that if ‘Izzy’ beats Imavov and Chimaev then beats Du Plessis perhaps in mid-2025, it could set up a Khamzat Chimaev vs. Israel Adesanya barn-burner by the end of the year. But would Adesanya even want that?

Khamzat Chimaev could be a terrible stylistic matchup for Israel Adesanya

Khamzat Chimaev could well become the middleweight champion in 2025. At least that is what many fellow fighters like Tom Aspinall and Robert Whittaker think. He certainly is good enough to beat Du Plessis and even Strickland if ‘Tarzan’ manages to get his title back from ‘DDP’ at UFC 312.

In fact, it would be good for Adesanya if Strickland wins. Khamzat Chimaev with his ruthless, smothering ground game is a stylistic nightmare for Adesanya who is a pure striker. On the other hand, Strickland’s Philly shell style seemed like kryptonite to Adesanya in their first fight. And so it is safe to say that ‘Tarzan’ will keep the fight on the feet.

Strickland, of course, humiliated Adesanya in their UFC 293 clash, and a rematch between the two would be in order. There is a chance the UFC might make Adesanya-Strickland 2 if both these men win their next fights. But that probably won’t happen. Chimaev is clearly the most deserving man to fight for the title next, having won two #1 contender fights in the last two years.

And since ‘Borz’ is already a mega-star, undefeated, and younger than Adesanya, the UFC would prefer Chimaev to become champion as soon as possible. What do you think about Kamaru Usman’s comments about a Khamzat Chimaev vs. Israel Adesanya fight by the end of the year?