NEW YORK –UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya still has plans of going back up to light heavyweight. Adesanya’s lone career loss came in March 2021 when he failed in his bid to become dual champion against then-light heavyweight champ Jan Blachowicz. He has since defended his middleweight title three times and plans on continuing to do so even if there’s a shortage of new contenders. However, Adesanya says 205 pounds will be a part of his future. “I’ll lap the division again, and then I’ll go back up at some point just for my own – maybe a little bit of ego, but yeah, just because I can do it,” Adesanya told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at media day. Adesanya (23-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) will look to notch his sixth title defense when he takes on former kickboxing foe Alex Pereira (6-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 281 main event.
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