Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson believes it may be time for Israel Adesanya to step away from mixed martial arts following his latest defeat.
Adesanya (24-6 MMA, 13-6 UFC) suffered his fourth consecutive loss in the main event of UFC Seattle last Saturday, where he was stopped by Joe Pyfer (16-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC). The former middleweight champion has not recorded a victory since April 2023, though he made it clear in his post-fight interview that retirement is not currently in his plans.
Johnson, who was in attendance at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena (where it was also announced that he will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame later this year) shared his perspective during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show.
“For me, I'm just like, ‘you've done everything, just walk away from the sport,’” Johnson said. “But I think that's so hard for mixed martial arts or any professional athlete.”
While acknowledging Adesanya’s relatively young age of 36, Johnson admitted it was difficult watching the former champion’s recent struggles.
“When I see him fight, I'm like, ‘God, you don't need to [fight], right?’” Johnson said. “And he's still young, he's only 36, but yeah, I was gutted to see him lose.”
Asked directly whether he believes Adesanya should retire, Johnson did not hesitate.
“I would. I would,” he said. “I mean, it's like, why do you fight? Like, first off, why did I fight? For the money.”
Johnson went on to outline the motivations that drive fighters, including competition, lifestyle, and financial incentives, but suggested those factors may no longer apply in Adesanya’s case.
“There’s a part of it where it's like, okay, I like the chess aspect—‘he’s going to do this, I’m going to do this.’ The lifestyle, right? It’s good,” Johnson explained. “But if you have the money, you’ve got to find something else to keep your mind engaged… keep on training and traveling and learning something new.”
He also pointed to the long-term physical toll of the sport as a key consideration.
“And then the health aspect as well. He's got a broken nose,” Johnson said. “For me, I'd like to see him retire. There's nothing else for him to do in mixed martial arts.”
Johnson emphasized that Adesanya’s accomplishments across both MMA and kickboxing already cement his legacy.
“You're not even considering the kickboxing matches he's had as well,” he added. “The man's been on a tear. I think he deserves to relax and enjoy himself and find something else.”
