In a recent interview, Eugene Bareman, head coach of City Kickboxing, expressed unwavering confidence in his starfighter, Israel Adesanya, despite his recent UFC middleweight title loss to Sean Strickland. Adesanya’s shocking unanimous decision defeat earlier this month at UFC 293 left many fans questioning his future in the sport, but Bareman believes that Adesanya’s extensive combat sports experience will be the key to his resurgence.
Bareman, who has been Adesanya’s coach for a significant portion of his career, pointed out that Adesanya’s ability to bounce back from adversity is a testament to his unique qualities as an athlete. The loss to Strickland marked the second time Adesanya had surrendered his middleweight belt, the first being a knockout loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 281. However, Adesanya reclaimed his title with a knockout victory in their rematch at UFC 287.
“This is not a normal athlete by any stretch – this is a unique athlete,” Bareman emphasized. “I am not talking about his physical and mental capabilities. I am talking about over 100 fights at the highest level.”
Bareman’s statement reflects the extensive groundwork and preparation that he and Adesanya have put into their training outside of MMA. The coach believes that this broad spectrum of high-level experience sets Adesanya apart from most other fighters.
“No one else has these sorts of athletes because no one else has done the extensive work that we have done outside of MMA to gain this type of high-level experience,” Bareman continued. “This is an athlete who’s seen everything, who’s had every type of game plan imposed on him, and every sort of adjustment, every sort of look he has had in front of him.”
Despite Adesanya’s loss to Strickland, Bareman remains optimistic about the future. He initially suggested that they would need just a week to make the necessary adjustments for a potential rematch. While Bareman clarified that he didn’t mean a literal seven days, his confidence in Adesanya’s ability to avenge his loss is unwavering.
“Sean brought something unique, and it was his awkwardness, and we thought we’d dealt with it,” Bareman explained. “We have to do a better job at dealing with the style that he defends in and some of the intricacies he brings to the table. But, Israel’s seen everything. Not every athlete that gets to the UFC does – barely any of them do. None of them have 100 fights at the highest level.”
Eugene Bareman’s steadfast belief in Israel Adesanya’s ability to overcome setbacks underscores the mental and experiential fortitude of this elite fighter. Adesanya’s journey to regain the UFC middleweight title promises to be a compelling story to watch in the world of mixed martial arts.
While Adesanya’s loss to Strickland was undoubtedly a setback, the combination of his unique skill set and the guidance of Eugene Bareman make a compelling case for a triumphant return to the top of the UFC middleweight division. The resilience and adaptability demonstrated by Adesanya throughout his career suggest that his next chapter in the octagon could be a captivating one.
