TLDR
- Israel Adesanya has been training at Alexander Volkanovski’s gym in Wollongong, Australia
- Adesanya left City Kickboxing in July after 16 years with the gym and coach Eugene Bareman
- The former champion has lost four consecutive fights and is 1-5 in his last six bouts
- Adesanya’s nutritionist posted footage showing him in training camp, though no fight is announced
- At 37 years old, Adesanya has stated pride is keeping him from retirement after recent losses
Sources: mmajunkie.usatoday.com | mmamania.com
Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has appeared in training videos at Alexander Volkanovski’s gym in Australia. The sessions took place at Freestyle Fighting Gym in Wollongong, Sydney, where Volkanovski trains.
Adesanya left his longtime home at City Kickboxing in July after 16 years with the gym. He parted ways with head coach Eugene Bareman following a difficult stretch in his career.
The former champion has lost four consecutive fights, including a TKO loss to Joe Pyfer at UFC Fight Night 271 in February. That loss was the most recent in a 1-5 run over his last six fights.
Adesanya’s record now stands at 24-6 overall and 13-6 in the UFC. The 37-year-old has eight title fight victories from his time as middleweight champion.
Training Camp Appears Underway
One of Adesanya’s nutritionists posted a video on Instagram on Wednesday showing him doing “a full day of eating in camp.” This marks the first indication that Adesanya has entered training camp for a potential return.
Lightweight contender Mauricio Ruffy shared video footage of himself and Adesanya moving around together during training. Ruffy is preparing for a projected number one contender bout against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 331 on September 19.
Yousri Belgaroui expects Israel Adesanya to secure a couple of wins and plans on seeing him after that
“The fight fans are ruthless, they are kicking him when he’s down and that’s bulls**t. I think if he gets a win he’s back to where he was. Then I’d love to fight him” pic.twitter.com/CFUPGMWRrH
— FULL SEND MMA (@full_send_mma) September 12, 2026
Volkanovski is currently training for his own fight against Movsar Evloev at UFC 333 in late October. The UFC featherweight champion has been working with his team at the Sydney-based gym.
No fight has been announced for Adesanya at this time. However, the training camp footage suggests he is preparing for a return to competition.
Seeking Change After Losing Streak
When Adesanya announced his departure from City Kickboxing in July, he stated the move was “a long time coming.” He said the change was something he needed after his recent losses.
Rumors circulated about a potential rift between Adesanya and new light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg, who also trains at City Kickboxing. No confirmation of any conflict has been provided by either fighter.
Adesanya has previously admitted that pride is one of the main factors keeping him from retirement. He said he knows what he is still capable of doing in the sport.
The former champion suffered two consecutive knockout losses before his most recent defeat to Pyfer. Those losses came after a dominant run as middleweight champion that included multiple title defenses.
Adesanya appeared in multiple Instagram videos at the Australian gym this week. The footage shows him actively participating in training sessions with other fighters at the facility.
