Adesanya eyes Strickland rematch: 'I'm gonna get him back'

Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has a name in mind for his next fight.

Adesanya said he's targeting a rematch with fellow ex-champ Sean Strickland in hopes of avenging a loss from two years ago.

"I have a feeling who I want to fight," Adesanya said in a video published Tuesday on his YouTube channel. "You'll like this one: I gotta get some get back. Strickland. I'm gonna get him back."

Strickland and Adesanya squared off at UFC 293 in September 2023. Strickland pulled off one of the biggest upsets in promotion history, earning a lopsided unanimous decision victory to capture the 185-pound title.

Adesanya, 35, is 0-2 since that fight.

"I don't want to make excuses because he beat me. But I just want to show him if he beat me at my best," Adesanya said. "This time, I'm gonna come at him correctly."

Adesanya is coming off a knockout loss to Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Saudi Arabia in February. The No. 4-ranked middleweight said he was ready to pursue his next fight after sparring with former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman earlier this month in South Florida. Adesanya said it was his first sparring session "in months."

"I didn't spar after my last fight. ... I knew once I sparred, it'd be like, 'Man, y'all got any fights?'" Adesanya said. "So for me now, I told (UFC chief business officer) Hunter (Campbell) already, I told my coach, 'Yeah, it's time.' I just knew."

Strickland, ranked No. 2 at 185 pounds, has been idle since losing a unanimous decision in a rematch with current champ Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 in February.