Michael Bisping thinks Israel Adesanya’s time at the top is over.
The Nigerian-born New Zealander has some tough decisions to make after falling to a third consecutive defeat in the UFC against Nassourdine Imavov on Saturday night.
Adesanya entered the contest fresh off back-to-back losses to Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis in middleweight title fights.
Imavov then inflicted further misery on the two-time 185lbs champion by dropping him with a huge right hand in the second round before finishing him on the canvas with some heavy ground and pound.
In the immediate aftermath, Adesanya admitted that he was contemplating retirement.
And it’s a decision fellow former middleweight title holder Bisping would support.
“The biggest takeaway is that it’s over,” Bisping said on the UFC Saudi Arabia post-fight show.
“Israel Adesanya’s reign as champion, I don’t think will come again.
“I say that with the greatest of respect and I truly mean that. An original.
“An incredible fighter. A legend of the sport. A future Hall of Famer. But his time at the top is done…
“The career that he’s had is legendary but more importantly the man’s an original.
“The man is unique. Yes, we’ve seen great kickboxers and we’ll see more great kickboxers but the people that have the flare, the charisma, did they put on the show that Israel Adesanya does?
GettyBisping paid homage to Adesanya’s career but admits ‘it is over’[/caption]
“From the walkouts to the post-fight speeches that we saw when he beat Alex Pereira, and that gives you chills. I will never forget that.
“Everybody remembers watching that for the first time.
“Doing the breakdancing on the way out, the whole light show and all the rest of it.”
If Adesanya does decide to hang up his gloves then there will surely be a place waiting for him in the UFC Hall of Fame.
‘The Last Style Bender’ is second for the most consecutive middleweight title defences with 5 behind Anderson Silva (10) and has cleared out several generational greats including Robert Whittaker, Yoel Romero, and Alex Pereira.
Speaking after his most recent defeat, he told ESPN: “I don’t know [what’s next for me].
“I have to chill and think about things. I’ll relax a little bit.
“Help the team-mates that have fights coming up and see what I wanna do.
“I was going to do that anyway, but now I’m forced to. Shoutout to Nassourdine for that.”