After upsetting a huge fanbase when he finished Bo Nickal, the Dutchman Reinier De Ridder made a callout to a top-tier middleweight and one of the most stand-out personalities of the UFC, Sean Strickland. As ‘RDR’ held the mic, he pushed into the camera and said, “So, I wanted to say, this is the best American wrestler you have, right? Now give me the best American striker. Strickland, you’re up, buddy. Let’s go!” Certainly, a fight full of fireworks, unfortunately, did not come to fruition as De Ridder is about to take on Robert Whittaker next.

As a response to this callout, Strickland, while talking to the sports journalist, Helen Yee, revealed he, too, wanted to fight the Dutchman, saying he was impressed by his performance. The American fighter highlighted the stylistic challenges that the bout would have presented, even complimenting his Jiu Jitsu. Furthermore, he added how when he proposed the fight to the UFC, the UFC Talent Hunter and Matchmaker Mick Maynard offered him a fight against Caio Borralho, a fight Strickland rejected due to his respect for Borralho and the risk of a compromise to their relationship.

However, amidst all these build-ups, rumors suggest that the UFC is brewing up a huge rematch for Strickland. Considered by many the biggest upset in recent UFC history, it is largely believed that on his path of revenge, ‘The Last Stylebender’ will start with Sean Strickland.

“I wanted to fight that, uh, RDR kid. Yeah, so Mick wanted me to fight Caio, such a great guy! Well, we kind of both said no. It’s one of those weird things where it’s like, I mean, I know him, I know his wife, I know his family. Like you know, it’s like at a press conference, ‘Hey Hey Caio, like, how’s your baby doing? What she turning? He’s turning two?’ You know it’s just awkward. Like, it’s such a bad fight because I know his family. It’s like it’s not fun. So that’s why I like that RDR f*** fight. Like that’ll be a great one. You know your f** Jiu Jitsu. You beat up Bo Nickal, who’s a f**p**, that’d be a great fight.” So who will Strickland fight then?

While that is a question many want an answer to, the whispers going around is that Israel Adesanya is preparing to be at his very best to avenge his loss against Sean Strickland,  Although not put in pen and paper, the fight news was spread quickly when Adesanya announced his next target, aiming at Strickland, he said: “Strickland, definitely. That fight was not me… I just want to show him if he beat me at my best. So this time I’m going to come at him correct.”

Needless to say, Adesanya generated a buzz in the entire MMA community, for the words don’t just carry a target that Adesanya aims to beat on his path to redemption. His loss against Strickland bothers him heavily, for Adesanya has claimed that he was not himself that day. And  so he wants to correct it. So is ‘The Last Stylebender’ leaning more towards a path of revenge rather than glory? He is certainly preparing for it…

Israel Adesanya pushes his limits to train for his path of revenge and recapturing UFC gold

“David Goggins put me through one of the most brutal and intense workouts I have ever experienced.” This is how Adesanya announced that he has started training for his next fight, even if its not in pen and paper. ‘The Last Stylebender’ recently trained with motivational speaker and fitness expert David Goggins amid which he announced Sean Strickland as his first target.

Adesanya’s motivation for a comeback is commendable, the intensity of the workouts even led to ‘Izzy’ vomiting, a testament to Goggins’ relentless training style. Goggins, known for his “stay hard” mentality, was heard motivating and yelling at Adesanya during the session, as he asked him: “You still want to fight? You still want to be a champ?”

This collaboration marks a significant change in Adesanya’s training approach. After a series of losses, including defeats to Nassourdine Imavov, Dricus Du Plessis, and Alex Pereira, Adesanya at his career’s lowest, is seeking new methods to regain his championship form. His coach, Eugene Bareman, hinted at this strategic change, stating that Adesanya is doing things “quite differently” ahead of his next fight.

One thing the whole MMA community knows for certain is that when ‘Izzy’ is motivated by revenge, he brings out the best version of himself. And the stakes demand nothing less. His sessions with Goggins are not just about physical endurance but also about mental fortitude. By pushing himself to the brink, Adesanya aims to emerge stronger and more resilient, ready to face any challenge in the octagon. 

So will he be ready when the UFC comes calling for his next fight? What happens if Strickland and Adesanya fight again in their potential rematch? Will he be able to take his revenge or will Strickland’s unconventional style surprise ‘The Last Stylebender’ yet again? What do you think? Let us know in the comments.