City Kickboxing issued a joint statement on former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya’s shocking departure from the gym.
Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya stole the spotlight of UFC 329 fight week when he announced his departure from City Kickboxing, his MMA home for 17 years, on his YouTube channel. Adesanya trained alongside the likes of Dan Hooker, Alexander Volkanovski, and Carlos Ulberg under the tutelage of head coach Eugene Bareman through the highs and lows of his career.
Adesanya’s decision came after four consecutive losses in the Octagon, including his recent TKO loss to Joe Pyfer at UFC Seattle. He hasn’t regained the form that saw Adesanya defeat the likes of Jared Cannonier, Paulo Costa, and Alex Pereira during his prime.
In an emotional announcement, Adesanya clarified that the main reason behind his decision was the ‘need for individual training’. For the first time since the news broke on Thursday, City Kickboxing has publicly addressed Adesanya’s leave.
City Kickboxing, Eugene Bareman react to Israel Adesanya’s gym split
In a recent statement to Medium, City Kickboxing head coach Eugene Bareman reacted to Adesanya’s departure.
“Firstly I’d like to congratulate Israel for all he has achieved and given to NZ Sports. First UFC Champion, first Mixed Martial Arts Halberg Winner, first two-time UFC Champion and undoubtedly one of the greatest of all time. Izzy has been major pillar of the success of City Kickboxing, and helped establish a professional pathway for not only our current crop of UFC athletes but future champions who haven’t even stepped into a gym yet,” Bareman said of Adesanya.
“Regarding his decision to move on, all fighters go through different stages in their career and ultimately, sometimes a change can provide the catalyst to reinvigorate, to try new things and forge new success. Importantly, it is often understated, the work Israel has done to help people in need, away from the spotlight. When people only see the flashy superstar, they fail to see the man behind the scenes — and I want to acknowledge that.
“We wish Israel all the best, and it has been our honour to work with and make some contribution to his success,” Bareman continued on Adesanya. “He is welcome at CKB and will always be part of our family.”
As of this writing, Adesanya remains a free agent gym-wise and can either join another prominent gym or opt for a more private training regimen. Despite his recent struggles, Adesanya still wants to return to the Octagon by the end of 2026.
Who should Israel Adesanya fight next? Let us know your thoughts on his UFC future in the comments!