Israel Adesanya's New Chapter at Freestyle MMA in Sydney

Israel Adesanya walked into Freestyle MMA in Sydney with a backpack, a smile, and the look of a man who has decided he’s had enough of looking backward.

The former UFC middleweight champion has officially plugged into a new team in Australia, sharing the mats with featherweight ruler Alexander Volkanovski and surging lightweight contender Mauricio Ruffy in what shapes as the most significant reset of his career.

A New Home in Sydney

Footage released by Engage, the combat sports brand co-owned by Adesanya and Volkanovski, showed Adesanya arriving at the Freestyle MMA Performance Centre, Volkanovski’s long-time base. No fanfare. Just handshakes, hugs, and a former champion sliding into a new routine.

Another clip, this time from Ruffy’s social media, captured the Brazilian running drills alongside Adesanya. The pace was sharp, the exchanges tight. It confirmed what had been whispered for weeks: Adesanya is in Australia, and he’s working.

Freestyle MMA, under head coach Joe Lopez, now looks like the epicentre of one of the most intriguing storylines in the sport. The gym already houses a reigning champion in Volkanovski and a rising threat in Ruffy. Now it has a former king searching for the right tools to reclaim his throne.

The mats were busy with more than just local talent. Coaches from Thailand’s Bangtao MMA — including recently retired UFC fighter Brad Riddell and coach George Hickman — appeared in the training footage, running sessions and barking instructions. The blend of Australian grit and Thai refinement gives Adesanya something he has openly craved: a fresh look, with familiar voices nearby but not in control.

Closing the City Kickboxing Chapter

This move comes just two months after Adesanya drew a line under one of the most successful partnerships in MMA history, announcing his departure from City Kickboxing in New Zealand. He did it on his own terms, via his YouTube channel, calling the split “bittersweet” but necessary after a brutal run of form.

He has lost four straight fights. That sentence would have been unthinkable not long ago for a man who once seemed untouchable at 185 pounds. His last win dates back to April 2023, when he knocked out Alex Pereira at UFC 287 to recapture the middleweight title in Miami. Since then, the momentum has vanished.

The March loss to Joe Pyfer at UFC Fight Night 271 appears to have been the breaking point. It wasn’t just another defeat; it felt like the moment Adesanya realised that doing the same things with the same people was no longer enough.

City Kickboxing head coach Eugene Bareman did not respond with bitterness. Instead, he backed the decision publicly, stressing that sometimes change is exactly what a fighter needs to ignite a new run.

“We wish Israel all the best, and it has been our honor to work with and make some contribution to his success,” Bareman said in a statement to “She Loves the Gloves” on Medium, adding that Adesanya will always be welcome at CKB and remain part of their family.

The bridge is not burned. It’s simply no longer the only road.

Dropping Into a Live Camp

Adesanya hasn’t joined a quiet gym. He has stepped into a live-fire environment.

Volkanovski is deep in preparation for a title defence against undefeated contender Movsar Evloev at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on October 24. Every session matters. Every round is planned.

Ruffy, meanwhile, is gearing up for what could be a No. 1 contender bout against Arman Tsarukyan in the co-main event of UFC 331 on September 19. He’s on the cusp of breaking into the elite at lightweight, and he’s training like it.

Into that intensity walks Adesanya, a former champion with something to prove. His presence changes the room. Sparring rounds become sharper. Technical drills carry more weight. Everyone knows what it means when a fighter of his calibre decides to rebuild in public.

His nutritionist has already teased a “full day of eating in camp,” a small but telling detail that has fuelled speculation that Adesanya is not just staying fit — he is actively preparing. No bout has been announced, no opponent named, but fighters rarely put themselves through full camp discipline without a target in mind.

Bridging Two Worlds

The move to Freestyle MMA also tightens the long-standing link between Volkanovski’s team and City Kickboxing. Volkanovski has spent years bouncing between the two camps, sharpening his game in Auckland while keeping his roots in Australia.

Now the dynamic flips. Adesanya, the former face of City Kickboxing, is the one traveling, stepping into Volkanovski’s house to chase his own resurgence.

He has spoken of the need for “focused, individual training” at this stage of his career. That line matters. It hints at a shift from the big, team-heavy grind to a more tailored approach, where sessions are built around his specific needs rather than the broader demands of a packed fight roster.

At Freestyle, surrounded by an active champion and a hungry contender, Adesanya gets exactly that: a tight-knit, high-stakes room where every athlete is locked in on a major fight date.

Whether this new partnership becomes a permanent relocation or a long-term alliance remains to be seen. What is clear is that Adesanya has chosen not to fade quietly. He has changed countries, camps, and routines in search of one thing.

An end to the losing streak — and the start of a second act.