Israel Adesanya returns to the Octagon this weekend after a 13-month absence, facing Joe Pyfer in the middleweight main event at UFC Seattle. The former middleweight champion has been pursuing DJing and other interests during his layoff, including launching a festival headlined by Burner Boy. Adesanya insists he's not nearing retirement despite recent losses.

At 36, Adesanya has dropped three straight fights since reclaiming the middleweight title from Alex Pereira. He's suffered defeats to Sean Strickland, Dricus Du Plessis, and Nassourdine Imavov. The New Zealander attributes his recent struggles to the cumulative toll of a long combat sports career rather than loss of focus or training.

Adesanya faces his lowest-ranked opponent since 2018 in Pyfer, signaling a potential step down in competition. Despite the three-fight skid, he remains confident about his future in the sport. 'Definitely not my final chapter,' Adesanya stated, emphasizing his need to express himself through 'controlled violence' in the cage.