Following the knockout loss against Nassourdine Imavov last year, Israel Adesanya took the longest layoff of his career, only to face another stark disappointment. At UFC Seattle, ‘The Last Stylebender’ suffered another crushing loss as Joe Pyfer TKO’d him in the second round. After yet another defeat, fans believe the Nigerian superstar should retire. But it’s still possible Adesanya can make a comeback.

Even though the former two-time middleweight champion had to face the reality of dropping four fights in a row, he remained adamant about continuing his journey in the UFC. And if Adesanya actually makes the right choices from here, we might just see a resurgence in his career. Here’s how.

Israel Adesanya needs to bring his old style back

Long-time Israel Adesanya fans would know that he took a much different approach than his original style against Joe Pyfer. Though the Nigerian-Kiwi has some highlight-reel knockouts in the UFC, like the one against his eternal rival Alex Pereira at UFC 287, his natural fighting style is to use distance, then stick and move. However, in the UFC Seattle main event, he ultimately abandoned that approach.

In the first round, ‘The Last Stylebender’ started really well, looking sharp with his well-timed leg kicks. While damaging Pyfer’s legs, Adesanya also used his jab accurately, and it felt like the former champ was back in his element. However, in the second round, there was a complete shift in his approach.

Adesanya landed a couple of really good right hands on Joe Pyfer that hit right on the money, and that wasn’t the problem. The concern started building when he stopped using the leg kicks and jab combination. He got overzealous trying to secure a statement finish against ‘Bodybagz’, who found openings to land some cracking counter hooks. Ultimately, Pyfer found that counter shot that cracked Adesanya’s chin, making it easy for the Penn State native to add the finishing touches with back mount and ground-and-pound shots.

Now, imagine Israel Adesanya from a few years ago, when he fought Marvin Vettori, Robert Whittaker, and Jared Cannonier. Though many fans labeled ‘Izzy’s’ method “boring,” it worked for him, as it earned him 13 UFC wins. We know that ‘The Last Stylebender’ isn’t the most powerful puncher in the 185 lbs division, even if he has some amazing knockouts. So the last thing he should do is trade with heavy punchers.

So, as Adesanya plans to continue fighting, he needs to bring back that measured style while being careful not to get caught against the cage while moving laterally. With that stylistic adjustment, he can put together strong performances again. That said, it’s not only about fighting style; he also needs to be cautious with the matchmaking.

‘The Last Stylebender’ needs to be smart with his next fights

Israel Adesanya lost quite a bit of confidence after getting knocked out by a 14th-ranked middleweight, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t matchups for him at 185 lbs. If ‘The Last Stylebender’ decides to stay at 205 lbs, there are a couple of stellar clashes, starting with a rematch against Jared Cannonier.

The last time Adesanya and Cannonier fought was at UFC 275, where the former middleweight champ defeated ‘Killa Gorilla’ via unanimous decision. At this point, the chances of them colliding once again have increased. Just like Adesanya, Cannonier’s career graph is trending downward, as he is currently 1-3 in his last four fights. With that in mind, both could run it back, with the winner getting a much-needed push.

Following the rematch, Israel Adesanya could seek the opportunity to face Reinier de Ridder next. Yes, the Dutchman has fought tough opponents, but his fighting style can match up well against the Nigerian native. If you’ve observed ‘RDR’s fighting style, he definitely has sting behind his punches, as most fighters at 185 lbs do. However, it’s his pressure-heavy approach that could make this an intriguing matchup for Adesanya.

Currently, ‘RDR’ is on a two-fight losing streak, so the UFC might line him up against Adesanya next, as it would keep big-name matchups revolving around the former 185 lbs king. Also, Adesanya revealed that they were close to fighting before the Pyfer bout came together. So what’s more fun than seeing them finally compete? That said, it would only be possible if de Ridder cancels his plans of moving up to light heavyweight.

After those two names, there are other options the UFC can explore for Adesanya, though they fall more into the “fun fight” category. At this point, Dana White and Co. could matchmake ‘The Last Stylebender’ against Stephen Thompson at middleweight, which would create a fascinating showdown. Moreover, ‘Wonderboy’ is searching for a retirement fight, and what better way to end his UFC career than against one of the legends of the sport?

Lastly, there’s another compelling matchup against Kevin Holland that Adesanya might be very interested in. A few years ago, both fighters constantly took verbal shots at each other on social media, and it got so heated that ‘The Last Stylebender’ even lost his BMW sponsorship. So after years of that back-and-forth, the UFC could finally settle it inside the cage.

With those matchups and clearer game plans around it, Israel Adesanya’s comeback looks possible at 36 years of age. But can he actually do it? Let us know in the comments section below.