Daniel Cormier doesn't seem to be in favor of seeing Israel Adesanya make a quick return to the octagon, especially not for another shot at the championship against Sean Strickland.
Adesanya (28-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) suffered a major upset last Saturday when he lost his middleweight title to Strickland (24-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) by unanimous decision at UFC 293, held at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.
The outcome of the fight was decisively in Strickland's favor, leaving Adesanya in an unfamiliar career position with two losses in his last three bouts. After a dominant run as the division's champion in his initial reign, Adesanya lost the title to Alex Pereira in November. He managed to reclaim it in a quick rematch in April, only to lose it again to Strickland in his next fight.
Adesanya has been one of the most active top-tier fighters in UFC history in recent years, and it seems that the UFC is already considering granting him another rematch. UFC President Dana White expressed his desire for a rematch post-fight at UFC 293. However, UFC Hall of Famer and color commentator Daniel Cormier believes this might not be the right course of action.
"The last time Izzy lost, all we could talk about was giving him an immediate rematch," Cormier stated during the UFC 293 pay-per-view broadcast. "But I don't think that's the right move this time. I don't think he should be fighting for the title again right away. I believe it's time for the division to move forward."
While Adesanya certainly has the most name recognition in the division due to his impressive accomplishments, he's far from the only deserving contender. Dricus Du Plessis has a strong case, especially following his upset victory over Robert Whittaker in July. Jared Cannonier served as the backup fighter at UFC 293, and the winner of next month's UFC 294 clash between Khamzat Chimaev and Paulo Costa will also be a legitimate contender.
Cormier emphasized his desire to see some of these other fighters get a chance to face Strickland before Adesanya does.
"It's like entering a whole new world, right? Similar to 'The Little Mermaid' – a completely new landscape," Cormier noted. "Sean Strickland has now opened the door to numerous exciting matchups. Cannonier has already faced Strickland and has a win over him.
"But I would have to assume that Dricus Du Plessis will be next in line, especially since he was originally slated to fight tonight. He must be regretting not getting the chance to face Adesanya tonight; the circumstances were favorable for him. There are many factors to consider in this fight, and Sean Strickland did exactly what was expected of him. However, I believe Du Plessis is next in line, unless Khamzat Chimaev completely dominates Paulo Costa."