Best I’ve Felt in a Long Time: Israel Adesanya on Life, New Training Camp and CKB

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Israel Adesanya believes he has rediscovered his love for fighting after a difficult period in his career, with the former UFC middleweight champion describing his new training environment as the best he has felt in a long time.

The 37-year-old offered an inside look at his new setup in a November 5 video titled Inside Look at Israel Adesanya’s NEW Training Camp, revealing a more individualized approach to his preparation following his departure from City Kickboxing earlier this year.

After more than 16 years working under head coach Eugene Bareman, Adesanya announced in July that he would be leaving City Kickboxing. He revealed that he had informed Bareman of his decision on May 20, describing it as something that had been developing behind the scenes.

Adesanya explained that he needed more focused, individual training and believed continuing with the same approach would not produce the changes he wanted. “Insanity is doing the same shit and expecting a different result,” he said in his departure announcement.

His new training structure features Andrei Paulet as head coach, Bill Smart overseeing strength and conditioning, and Byron Chivers working on his Brazilian jiu-jitsu at Unity MMA.

The program includes cage sparring, grappling, conditioning sessions and physical assessments. Adesanya has also trained alongside former UFC champion Alexander Volkanovski and Mauricio Ruffy at Freestyle MMA Performance Centre in Sydney during training camp for their last fights.

But the change appears to extend beyond the physical demands of training. In the latest video, Adesanya reflected on his relationships at City Kickboxing, admitting that he could have been a better teammate.

“I could have been a better teammate,” he acknowledged, explaining that although he maintained close relationships with some people, there were others with whom he could have built stronger connections.

He also took responsibility for his own shortcomings, saying, “It’s all on me. I can’t hide behind anyone.”

While Adesanya did not identify anyone involved in specific disagreements, his comments provide a more personal perspective on a separation he initially explained primarily through his desire for individualized training.

Bareman, meanwhile, responded to the departure with a message of appreciation, describing Adesanya as a major pillar of City Kickboxing’s success and making it clear that he would always be welcome at the gym.

The separation also received a supportive reaction from teammate Navajo Stirling, who said he was happy for Adesanya and suggested that a fresh environment could be beneficial at this stage of his career.

There are already signs that the former champion is enjoying the change. During an October appearance on the Precision with Mighty and Izzy podcast, Adesanya revealed that he had signed his next fight contract and spoke about rediscovering his motivation.

“I’ve missed this shit,” he said, reflecting on a period in which he admitted he had felt lost.

Adesanya is coming off four consecutive defeats against Sean Strickland, Dricus du Plessis, Nassourdine Imavov and Joe Pyfer. His last victory came against Alex Pereira at UFC 287 in April 2023.

Shara Magomedov has been reported as a potential opponent for a December 5 fight in Riyadh, although the matchup still requires official confirmation.

For Adesanya, the immediate priority appears to be finding the right environment to compete at his best again. His departure from City Kickboxing ended a partnership that helped shape one of the greatest middleweight careers in UFC history, but his latest comments suggest he is looking forward rather than dwelling on what he left behind.

Whether the new approach can translate into victories remains to be seen. For now, Adesanya believes he has found something that had been missing for years: the enjoyment of fighting.

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This story was originally published by Athlon on Nov 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the MMA section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.