MMA fighter Israel Adesanya has been handed a medical suspension for six months following his defeat to Jan Blachowicz last Saturday at the UFC 259 in Las Vegas.
It was the Nigerian-born fighter’s first career defeat.
Adesanya is now required to undergo X-rays on his left foot and ankle to determine the level of damage sustained.
Meanwhile, Adesanya’s coach Eugene Bareman has refused to make any excuses for the 31-year-old after his bid to become a two-weight champion was thwarted.
Bareman said Adesanya is “humble” about the defeat and insists the changes in preparation due to travel and COVID-19 safety protocol were not to blame for his loss.
“No excuses. I think the training camp went well, and the lead-up to the fight week was brilliant,” he told Submission Radio.
“There are no excuses here. This is the thing, man, when you lose, it doesn’t happen in this sport nowadays, but sometimes you just lose and you just have to take it. And we are as a team internalising it, and we’re being humble about it and taking it like a loss, like you should do.
“It doesn’t happen enough in this sport. People kind of refuse to accept a loss, but we’re accepting it, we’re looking to take what we can out of it.”
He also believes the defeat could be beneficial for Adesanya as it has not only taught him a lot, but heightened his resolve “to get back in and fix some of the small details.”
