UFC fighter Israel Adesanya recently opened up about a challenging time in his career when he faced severe financial difficulties following his loss to Alex Pereira during his kickboxing days in China.
The Nigerian-born Kiwi UFC star and former middleweight champion, known for his flamboyant style and confidence in the octagon, shared his unexpected story of hardship on The JRE podcast. He revealed that after losing to Pereira, the promotion he was fighting for abruptly stopped scheduling fights for him. “When I was fighting in China and I lost to Alex, they stopped giving me fights. At that time, I was the highest-paid foreign fighter in China, but then everything changed,” Adesanya explained. Desperate for work, he pleaded with the promotion, saying, “Look, I have seven more fights on my contract. Can I at least just get three? I just need three,” as his financial resources dwindled.
The situation became so dire that Adesanya found himself with just $500 left—barely enough to buy groceries for a week. It was during this low point that his coach, Eugene Bareman, stepped in to help him financially. Adesanya recalled the emotional moment when Bareman urged him to check his bank account, leaving him in tears of gratitude.
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This revelation highlights the unpredictable nature of a fighter’s career and underscores the importance of having a supportive team. It also contrasts sharply with Adesanya’s recent high-profile UFC career, during which he has won and lost the middleweight title multiple times.
Despite recent setbacks, including losses to Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis, Adesanya remains determined to make a comeback. In a recent interview on The Adam Carolla Show, he expressed his desire to fight again before the end of the year or early next year. “At the moment, I want to fight one more time before the end of this year or early next year. But I don’t know yet. I’m just training and building off where we left off,” he stated.
Adesanya also candidly discussed his recent loss to du Plessis, admitting to a tactical error when he pointed at the ground after slipping. As he prepares for his return, fans and pundits alike are eager to see what the next chapter holds for the resilient fighter, who has shown strength both inside and outside the octagon.