Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has finally opened up about his decision to leave City Kickboxing, the gym that helped shape one of the most successful careers in UFC history.
The announcement came as a surprise to many fans, especially considering Adesanya had spent nearly two decades with the New Zealand-based gym and built his championship legacy alongside longtime coach Eugene Bareman.
After weeks of speculation, Israel Adesanya revealed that the decision was not sudden. Instead, it was something he had been considering for a long time as he looks to revive his career following a difficult stretch inside the Octagon.
In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Adesanya explained why he felt it was time to move on.
“So on Wednesday, May 20, I spoke to Eugene face-to-face, and I told him that I’m not coming back to City Kickboxing,” Adesanya said. “This was something that was a long time coming behind the scenes, and we have an understanding.
“I won’t lie, it sucks. Not anymore. Grief comes in waves for me. I’ve had great days, but I’ve also had days where I’m not. But it’s been a long time coming. I wanted to get it out of the way because I wanted you to hear it from the horse’s mouth.”
The former champion described the split as bittersweet but insisted it was the right move at this stage of his career.
“It’s bittersweet, but it’s the right thing for me. Especially with where I’m at in my career, it’s exactly what I needed. Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result.”
The decision comes after a challenging run for Israel Adesanya, who has lost four consecutive fights since reclaiming the UFC middleweight title with his knockout victory over Alex Pereira at UFC 287. His most recent setback came against Joe Pyfer at UFC Seattle.
While many fans expected Adesanya to reveal a major fallout behind the scenes, the former champion pointed to a different reason. He believes he now needs a more personalized approach to training as he prepares for the next chapter of his fighting career.
“I just don’t want to talk about it. As I said, it sucks. I want to grieve in peace,” Adesanya said. “If people want to bring it up, that’s cool, but don’t ask me about it.
“I established myself in Auckland, and City Kickboxing made me into the fighter that I am today. They’ve trained a lot of great fighters, greats even better than myself. But me as an individual, I was one of the main pillars who put them on the world stage.”
Despite leaving the gym, Adesanya made it clear that he remains grateful for everything City Kickboxing has done for him throughout his career.
From his UFC debut in 2018 to becoming a two-time middleweight champion, City Kickboxing played a key role in his rise to the top of the sport. Adesanya credited the gym for helping mold him into a world champion while also acknowledging his role in elevating the team’s global profile.
“What I need for myself is focused, individual training,” Adesanya said. “I’ve made the decision to leave City Kickboxing for my own reasons, and I’ll leave it at that.”
As of now, Israel Adesanya has not revealed where he plans to train next or who will lead his future fight camps. However, the former champion appears determined to make significant changes as he searches for a way back into title contention.
With his UFC future still uncertain, one thing is clear: Adesanya believes a fresh start is necessary if he wants to return to championship form.
