Connect with us

MMA

Israel Adesanya reveals he’s split with longtime head coach Eugene Bareman and City Kickboxing: ‘A long time coming’

Published

1 month ago

on

Israel Adesanya reveals he’s split with longtime head coach Eugene Bareman and City Kickboxing: ‘A long time coming’

When Israel Adesanya makes his return to action, he'll have a new head coach in his corner for the first time in his UFC career.

On Thursday, the former UFC middleweight champion announced that he's split with longtime coach Eugene Bareman and he's no longer training out of the City Kickboxing gym based in New Zealand. Adesanya has trained there since 2009 before relocating full time to the area in 2010 to call City Kickboxing his home.

“I spoke to Eugene face-to-face and I told him I am not coming back to CKB,†Adesanya posted on Instagram. “This was something a long time coming behind the scenes. We have an understanding. I won't lie, it sucks. Not anymore. Grief comes in waves for me, for most people. It comes in waves. I've had great days but I've also had days where [this sucks].

“It's a long time coming. I want just want to get it out of the way because I want you to hear it from the horse's mouth. No one else has spoken about it. Those who know are waiting for the ball to drop. I dropped the ball.â€

Adesanya didn't deal what exactly led to the split, although he seemed to reference a pattern of his training and preparation that needed to change before he booked his next fight.

The 36-year-old veteran has suffered through the toughest run of his career with four losses in a row including a second-round TKO in his most recent outing against Joe Pyfer back in March.

“It's bittersweet,†Adesanya said. “But it's the right thing for me, especially where I'm at in my career. It's exactly what I needed.

“Insanity is doing the same shit and expecting a different result. I think that's it. I just don't want to talk about it. It's something, it sucks, I want to grieve in peace.â€

While he's no longer working with the coaches or fighters at City Kickboxing, Adesanya paid homage to his now former team for building him into the champion he became in the UFC.

Between his debut in 2018 and losing his title to Sean Strickland in 2023, Adesanya went on a remarkable run as a five-time defending middleweight champion. He dropped the belt to longtime rival Alex Pereira in in 2022 but then avenged that loss with a stunning knockout over the Brazilian in 2023.

“CKB made me into the fighter that I am today,†Adesanya said. “They've trained a lot of great fighters, Greats. Even better than myself. Me as an individual, CKB made me into the fighter that I am today.

“But also, I was one of the main pillars that put CKB on the map on the world stage. To take it to the next level where people from all over the world want to come train at CKB. I'm proud of that.â€

Adesanya didn't indicate where he might train next or who could be put in charge of future fight camps but it appears he plans on running a more focused program where he's receiving the bulk of the attention as he gets ready to compete again.

“What I need for myself is focused, individual training,†Adesanya said. “I've made the decision to leave CKB for my own reasons. I'll leave it at that.â€

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

MMA

Henry Cejudo doubts Ian Garry will get another UFC title shot

Published

53 seconds ago

on

August 19, 2026

By

Henry Cejudo doubts Ian Garry will get another UFC title shot
Henry
Cejudo believes the
Ultimate Fighting Championship might look to avoid handing
Ian
Garry another title shot.

Garry (17-2) challenged Islam
Makhachev (29-1) for the welterweight title at UFC
330, where the challenger gave the champ one of his toughest
tests despite coming up short on the judges' scorecards. In the
aftermath, the Irishman faced severe backlash for his mid-fight
camaraderie and has now drawn criticism from Cejudo for not
promoting the bout and largely staying quiet in the build-up.

Henry Cejudo says Ian Garry ‘missed all the boxes' against
Islam Makhachev at UFC 330

Garry was widely mocked for comments made during a podcast
appearance before fight week and seemingly wanted to avoid
controversy ahead of the bout. He even asked reporters to steer
clear of certain topics at media day and was booed relentlessly at
the pre-fight presser and ceremonial weigh-ins. “The Futureâ€
constantly involving his son in pre-fight obligations was also
criticized.

Furthermore, Garry was perhaps far too respectful during the fight,
sharing an embrace with the champion before the final round. Both
Makhachev and UFC CEO Dana
White later claimed that such niceties are unnecessary and
potentially affect the intensity of the bout.

Cejudo doubts if Garry will ever fight for a UFC title again.
“Triple C†believes the former
Cage Warriors champ didn't sell the fight well and messed up in
all aspects in his maiden UFC title shot. The former two-division
titleholder also believes the 28-year-old is disillusioned if he
thinks he has ample time to become a champion.

“After a performance like that, do you think the UFC is going to
give him an opportunity to fight for the title again?†Cejudo told
MMA Junkie. “He didn’t really sell the fight and it was just too
kumbaya and whatnot. It was ridiculous. Dana White doesn't like
that sh*t. You heard it from him. For those fighters looking to get
his attention and looking to get paid, you have to be able to sell
the fight. Ian Garry just missed all the boxes. It was all about
his kid, his wife, his well-being, and how he's 28 years old; he
still has time to become champion. It doesn't work like that, Ian.
If I was to give Ian advice on that, ‘Bro, the time is now.'â€

Continue Reading

MMA

Alik Lorenz erases DWCS heartbreak with brutal first-round KO

Published

1 hour ago

on

August 19, 2026

By

Alik Lorenz erases DWCS heartbreak with brutal first-round KO
Alik
Lorenz was eager to make the most of his second
Dana White's Contender Series opportunity.

Lorenz (7-2) was knocked out in 30 seconds by Abdul-Rakhman
Yakhyaev in his Contender Series debut last year. He bounced
back with a first-round knockout in the regional scene, earning
another shot at an
Ultimate Fighting Championship contract on DWCS 2026
Week 2.

Alik Lorenz rebounds from his 30-second DWCS loss by knocking
out Mahamed Aly

Lorenz took on Mahamed Aly
in a light heavyweight tilt in Week 2 of DWCS 2026. He floored his
opponent with a massive right hand in the first round and a couple
of follow-up hammer-fists were enough for the referee to step
in.

Lorenz says that he came out of his DWCS debut last year regretting
that he couldn't put his skills on display. The 29-year-old
returned this year, determined to leave it all inside the Octagon
and not go to the judges' scorecards.

“I feel amazing,†Lorenz said in his post-fight interview. “Last
year I didn't get to show anything off. So, I think that was the
biggest heartbreak. So, I made a promise to myself: I'm gonna go in
there and give everything I have. Definitely not leave it to the
judges. I just wanted to be proud of myself and the performance I
gave. And I am… We're working on everything at The MMA Lab. Nothing
in particular. Of course I need to move my feet, big guys get lazy.
We need to feint more and stuff. Just being consistent, not letting
that loss determine me.â€


Continue Reading

MMA

Dana White rewards Roman Puga, Taner Trembley following DWCS war

Published

2 hours ago

on

August 19, 2026

By

Dana White rewards Roman Puga, Taner Trembley following DWCS war

Week 2 of
Dana White's Contender Series 2026 kicked off with an absolute
banger.

Roman
Puga took on Taner
Trembley in a featherweight matchup in Week 2 of DWCS 2026.
While Puga scored an early knockdown, Trembley survived and rocked
him at the end of round 1. Both fighters threw the kitchen sink at
each other, visibly rocking and hurting one another multiple
times.

Roman Puga beats Taner Trembley in wild DWCS 2026 Week 2
fight

The fight somehow went the distance, with Puga earning a unanimous
decision win.
Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana
White was evidently impressed, as he stood up after each round
and went inside the Octagon to congratulate both fighters after the
fight ended.

Puga admits that while he was hunting for a finish, Taner earned
his respect with his grit. While the former came seeking an early
knockout, he was also ready for a 15-minute war if that didn't
materialize.

“I feel overwhelmed; grateful,†Puga said in his post-fight
interview. “I was hoping to put him out, but Taner is a dog. Great
fighter. Really earned my respect… Absolutely [I was surprised]. I
was hitting hard and I felt like it was doing some wear and tear on
him. But nonetheless, I told myself I can go for it in the first
round and knock him out. But if not, be ready for a war. And that's
what you guys saw tonight; I was ready for a war. I wanted that
knockout, but I showcased I'm that dog and I got it.â€

Both fighters ultimately won contracts.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending