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Jon Jones has nothing but respect for Israel Adesanya’s decision to take a long break from MMA.
Adesanya, also known as “The Last Stylebender”, recently revealed that he plans to step away from the sport for a while after a disappointing loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293. Strickland outclassed Adesanya in the striking department for five rounds, ending Adesanya’s second stint as UFC middleweight champion.
Adesanya’s focus was also questioned after reports emerged that he pleaded guilty to a drunk driving charge in New Zealand over an incident that happened three weeks before UFC 293. Adesanya said in his statement that he is not using that as an excuse for the Strickland loss, but he made it clear that he needs a break from fighting after having a busy schedule for the past few years.
Jones, who has been in a heated rivalry with Adesanya for years, showed his support for Adesanya’s choice on social media on Sunday. Jones himself took a long break from 2020-2023 that resulted in him making a successful comeback this past March at UFC 284 where he won the vacant heavyweight title with a dominant submission win over Ciryl Gane.
Adesanya and Jones have recently settled their differences and even expressed their interest in training together.