Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya spoke to the media after his defeat to Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 282.
Adesanya was knocked out in the second round, marking the first time he has been finished in his professional career.
“I’m not going to make any excuses,” Adesanya said. “Strickland was the better man tonight. He caught me with a good shot and I wasn’t able to recover.”
Adesanya said he is still the best middleweight in the world and plans to come back stronger than ever.
“This is just a setback,” he said. “I’m not going to let this define me. I’m going to get back in the gym and work even harder to get my title back.”
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Strickland, who was making his first title fight appearance, was ecstatic after the victory.
“I’m the new champion!” he shouted. “I told you I was going to do it.”
Strickland said he is ready to defend his title against anyone, including Adesanya.
“I’m here to stay,” he said. “I’m the new king of the middleweight division.”
The loss was a major upset, as Adesanya was heavily favored to win. However, Strickland showed that he is a legitimate contender with his dominant performance.
It will be interesting to see how Adesanya responds to the defeat. If he can bounce back and reclaim his title, it would be one of the most impressive comebacks in UFC history.
