Israel Adesanya visits Nigeria for the second time in five years
Israel Adesanya, former UFC middleweight champion, arrived in Nigeria on Wednesday.
The 35-year-old mixed martial artist’s arrival in the country was announced in a post on the X account of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).
The Nigerian-New Zealander returned to Lagos with his parents, and they were welcomed at the airport with drums and music.
Adesanya made the journey back to Nigeria just a few days after losing his UFC middleweight title bout against South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis on Sunday.
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He lost his chance to regain the title, tapping out in submission with his neck locked in a rear-naked choke by Du Plessis in the fourth round of the fight.
Adesanya had lost the title to Sean Strickland in September 2023, and the latter surrendered the belt to Du Plessis.
The two-time UFC champion would visit Nigeria for the second time in five years. He was in the country in 2019.
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He was born in Lagos, but his family migrated to New Zealand shortly after his early childhood.
Photos from his arrival in Lagos:
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