​Goodbye, CKB. Israel Adesanya, the former two-time UFC Middleweight champion, announced today that he is leaving City Kickboxing (CKB), the Auckland, New Zealand gym that has shaped his extraordinary combat sports journey. Adesanya has been closely tied to CKB since 2010, rising under head coach Eugene Bareman and helping to elevate the gym into one of the most recognizable teams in mixed martial arts. Now, that era appears to be coming to a close.
“I spoke to Eugene face-to-face and told him I’m not coming back to CKB,” Adesanya stated in a YouTube video. “It’s something I’ve been moving toward behind the scenes for a long time, and we have an understanding. It’s bittersweet, but it’s the right decision for me, especially where I am in my career. It’s exactly what I needed. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
This move comes at a difficult point in Adesanya’s storied career. The Last Stylebender is currently in a four-fight skid, has been finished in three consecutive bouts, and has dropped five of his past six appearances. Reflecting on his history with CKB, Adesanya recalled, “2009 is when I first went to CKB, and 2010 is when I actually moved over, and I established myself in Auckland. CKB made me into the fighter I am today. They have trained many great fighters—fighters who are better than me. But I am also one of the pillars who helped put CKB on the world map, taking it to the next level.”
He added, “I’m proud of that. What I need for myself is focused, individual training, so I made the decision to leave CKB for my own reasons. I’ll leave it at that.” While Adesanya did not reveal his next destination or the gym that will become his new home, possibilities include renowned Thailand-based facilities such as Bangtao Muay Thai or Tiger Muay Thai, both of which have strong reputations in elite Muay Thai and MMA circles.
The 36-year-old former UFC champion comes off a second-round stoppage loss to Joe Pyfer in the main event at UFC Seattle, with his last victory dating back to a win over Alex Pereira in 2023. For years, Adesanya and CKB were nearly inseparable, a partnership that helped shape a generation of fighters and propelled the gym onto the global stage. But after the toughest stretch of his career, Adesanya is undertaking a major transition. The question now is whether this reset will provide the catalyst he seeks to reclaim his peak form.
As the MMA world processes this shift, fans and analysts will be watching closely to see how Adesanya’s move away from CKB influences his preparation, technique, and results in the months to come. For those tracking UFC’s upcoming schedule and events, keep an eye on where Adesanya lands next and how this new training chapter unfolds.