Israel Adesanya says the first camp of his post-City Kickboxing life is the best he’s had, and he’s got a new coaching staff and a fresh contract to show for it. The former UFC middleweight champion pulled back the curtain in a November 5 video titled Inside Look at Israel Adesanya’s NEW Training Camp, telling viewers it’s the best he’s felt in a long time. Bloody Elbow framed it on X as Adesanya calling this camp “the best” he’s ever had.
The new setup is built around him. Andrei Paulet is the head coach. Bill Smart runs strength and conditioning, and Byron Chivers handles his Brazilian jiu-jitsu at Unity MMA. Per Yahoo Sports, the program mixes cage sparring, grappling, conditioning work and physical assessments. Adesanya has also spent time at Freestyle MMA Performance Centre in Sydney, training alongside former UFC champion Alexander Volkanovski and Mauricio Ruffy during their camps for their most recent fights.
The video got more personal than a gym tour. Adesanya looked back at his years at City Kickboxing and owned some of how it ended. “I could have been a better teammate,” he said, explaining that he stayed close with some people there but could have built stronger bonds with others. He didn’t name anyone or get into specific disputes. He did put it squarely on himself: “It’s all on me. I can’t hide behind anyone.”
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How the split happened
Adesanya announced in July that he was leaving City Kickboxing after more than 16 years under head coach Eugene Bareman. He said he’d told Bareman on May 20 and described the decision as something that had been building quietly for a while. His stated reason at the time was that he needed more focused, individual work, and that running the same program wouldn’t get him different results. “Insanity is doing the same shit and expecting a different result,” he said.
Bareman answered with appreciation, calling Adesanya a major pillar of the gym’s success and saying the door stays open. City Kickboxing teammate Navajo Stirling said he was happy for him and suggested a new environment could help at this point in his career.
In October, on the Precision with Mighty and Izzy podcast, Adesanya said he’d signed his next fight contract and admitted he had felt lost for a stretch. “I’ve missed this shit,” he said.
The record he’s carrying in
The results explain the overhaul. Adesanya has lost four straight, to Sean Strickland, Dricus du Plessis, Nassourdine Imavov and Joe Pyfer. His last win was the knockout of Alex Pereira at UFC 287 in April 2023, which is more than three and a half years ago now. Shara Magomedov has been reported as a possible opponent for December 5 in Riyadh, though that fight hasn’t been officially confirmed.
Sal’s take
I’ve heard some version of the best-camp-ever speech from roughly every fighter who ever lost a fight, usually about three weeks before they lose another one, so I’m keeping my wallet in my pocket until a number shows up. Still, the details here are more specific than the usual vibes. A dedicated strength coach and a separate BJJ coach are aimed right at the problems that showed up in those four losses, and he’s sharpening up next to Volkanovski instead of being one name on a crowded whiteboard. He’s 37 and the losing streak is real. If Magomedov gets confirmed for December 5, I want to see how the market prices a former champ on a four-fight skid against a striker who likes to stand and trade, because that line will tell you more about this new camp than any gym video will.