Israel Adesanya should not get a rematch against Sean Strickland
At UFC 293, Sean Strickland shocked the MMA world as he dominantly defeated Israel Adesanya to win the UFC middleweight championship. The result left many people debating whether Adesanya should get an immediate rematch.
At this point, it does look like Adesanya will be given an immediate rematch. UFC President Dana White has already expressed interest in the bout. Although, I am here to explain why that should not be the case.
The most important piece part of this debate is the fight itself. Let’s not pretend like UFC 293 was a close bout. All three judges scored the bout 49-46 in favor of Strickland. On top of that, the biggest moment of the fight went to Strickland. The underdog landed a knockdown in the first which was the fight’s most pivotal moment.
Let’s also recognize that Adesanya was just given an immediate rematch; it’s not like Adesanya is on some massive win streak. Yes, he is one of the best middleweights of all time, but he is now 1-2 in his last three fights. Adesanya entered UFC 293 searching for the first title defense of his second reign.
I do think Adesanya deserves some leeway considering everything he has accomplished in the sport, but how much rope can he be given?
At some point, the UFC has to put its foot down on move on. That does not mean Adesanya is banned from title fights. It just means he would need to go get a win before he looks to regain the title.
Is that too much to ask considering he has already been given the luxury of an immediate rematch and was dominantly defeated at UFC 293?
I do not think this would be the worst outcome for Adesanya either. The former champion has been abnormally active since joining the UFC. I think taking a second to breathe and recover would be beneficial.
Let’s not pretend like the UFC is not being incredibly bogged down by rematches either. In 2023, the UFC has had four title fights that were either a rematch, trilogy or tetralogy. That number will expand to six once Alexa Grasso fights Valentina Shevcehko and Islam Makahachev defends against Charles Oliveira.
If you want a bigger sample size, since 2021, the UFC has had 17 rematches, trilogy or tetralogy title bouts (19 including the two aforementioned upcoming bouts). It would be beneficial to fan interest and divisional parody to see some new matchups.
Should Adesanya get the Strickland rematch or should the UFC look for fresh matchups? Let us know in the comments.
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