Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has revealed that he intends to buck the trend of famous MMA fighters switching to boxing after they retire from the sport.

It should be stressed that Adesanya isn’t ready to hang his gloves up yet, and intends to compete in the Octagon in 2026, but he admits that he has contemplated what might happen when he does finally call time on his long career.

And it seems that the former decorated kickboxer isn’t looking to test himself in the boxing ring.

“For me, my career is going to end in the UFC, I believe. But never say never,” Adesanya said during his recent Q&A at the Bangtao Muay Thai and MMA gym in Thailand. “I thought about this two months ago, and I always said like, nah, you’d never catch me. This is the ultimate form of fighting, which is mixed martial arts. You are using all your limbs, all your weapons. How can I now, as one of the guys in this game who’s been up there, say, ‘Oh, I’m just going to go box?’

“I always said no because I felt like my legacy is already set in stone. But everyone has a number, and I think I got to my number two months ago. I was like, you know what? It’s really high. I don’t think anyone – maybe Turki (Alalshikh) can afford it, but nah, I think Darren [Till] is just doing his thing outside the UFC so, I’m just going to finish my career at the top in the UFC.”