Israel Adesanya feels amplified after recent visit to Nigeria: “Their flame inspired me”

Former UFC champion Israel Adesanya has said that he feels amplified following his recent visit home to Nigeria.

Earlier this month, Israel Adesanya fell short in his attempt to defeat Dricus du Plessis. He was hoping to become a three-time UFC middleweight champion but instead, he fell short at the hands of the South African champion. It was a fun, competitive affair, with du Plessis eventually securing a submission triumph in the fourth round of the contest.

RELATED: Francis Ngannou praises friend Israel Adesanya following loss to Dricus du Plessis: “We’ll always support each other”

Moving forward, it’ll be interesting to see what the future holds for ‘Stylebender’. He’s made it crystal clear that he doesn’t plan on retiring but in equal measure, there’s no clear path forward for him. He could take on a top contender, but he’s already beaten the majority of them that currently reside at 185 pounds.

Recently, Adesanya decided to return to his homeland of Nigeria. In the wake of his visit, he posted a heartfelt message to his people on social media.

https://twitter.com/stylebender/status/1827801302509793321

Adesanya enjoys trip home

“Energy never dies, it can be passed on and amplified. Bless the future, bless my people, their flame inspired me!”

In addition to seemingly being mobbed by fans everywhere he went, Israel also spent time at a local boxing event alongside Sodiq Yusuff.

All in all, it feels as if this was a much needed change of pace for the former king of the middleweights. He’ll likely be experiencing a great feeling of disappointment with respect to the loss against du Plessis, but there’s definitely still a fire burning for him in mixed martial arts.

What do you believe should be next for Israel Adesanya in the Ultimate Fighting Championship? Will he ever be a world champion again? Let us know your thoughts, BJPENN Nation!