Adesanya Seeks New Training
Israel Adesanya Splits From City Kickboxing After 16 Years, Seeks New Training.
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Key Points
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Adesanya has been tied to City Kickboxing since 2010 after moving to Auckland in 2010 (having training ties dating back to 2009), and he credits CKb with turning him into a world-class fighter and being a pillar who helped put the gym on the world stage.
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Analysts have suggested potential future training homes for Adesanya, with Bangtao Muay Thai or Tiger Muay Thai among the elite Thailand-based gyms discussed as possible next stops.
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Adesanya’s four-fight skid is the longest of his career, and all four losses have come by finish, including the most recent TKO loss to Joe Pyfer that preceded this split.
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Bareman has not publicly addressed the departure in detail in some reports, leaving the team’s official stance and specifics of the split less clear in the immediate aftermath.
Israel Adesanya has left City Kickboxing (CKB) in Auckland after 16 years, ending one of MMA's most celebrated fighter-coach partnerships. The 36-year-old former UFC middleweight champion made the announcement on his YouTube channel and Instagram, calling the split "bittersweet" but necessary. Sherdog reported that Adesanya said the move was "a long time coming."
The departure follows the worst stretch of Adesanya's career — a four-fight losing streak where all four losses came by finish. His most recent defeat was a second-round TKO loss to Joe Pyfer. MMA Mania noted that Adesanya framed the split as a training approach change, not a personal dispute.
Sixteen Years at CKB Shaped a Champion
Adesanya first linked up with City Kickboxing in 2009 and moved to Auckland full-time in 2010. Over the next 16 years, head coach Eugene Bareman helped transform him into one of the most technically gifted strikers in UFC history. Adesanya won the UFC middleweight title and defended it multiple times during that run.
Adesanya credited CKB with building him into a world-class fighter. Cage Side Press quoted him saying he was "a pillar" who helped put the gym on the world stage. Despite the praise, he was clear: he will not be returning to CKB.
Four Straight Losses Force a New Direction
Adesanya's four-fight skid is the longest of his career. Each loss came by finish — not by judge's decision. The final blow was a TKO defeat to Joe Pyfer in round two. That result appeared to accelerate his decision to seek a new training environment.
Sports Yahoo reported that Adesanya said the move was "what I needed." He emphasized that the change is about finding focused, individual training to fit where he is in his career right now. He has not named a new gym yet.
Thailand Gyms Among Possible Next Training Homes
Adesanya has not announced his next training base. However, analysts and observers have floated several options. Elite Thailand-based gyms — including Bangtao Muay Thai and Tiger Muay Thai — have been discussed as possible destinations, according to MMA Mania.
Both gyms are known for high-level striking coaches and international fighter rosters. A move to Thailand would align with Adesanya's stated goal of getting sharper, more individualized training. No formal move has been confirmed.
Bareman Stays Silent as Adesanya Moves On
Eugene Bareman, CKB's head coach, has not made a detailed public statement about the split. Sherdog noted that the team's official stance remained unclear in the immediate aftermath of Adesanya's announcement. The silence leaves many questions about how the parting unfolded behind the scenes.
Adesanya was careful not to blame CKB or Bareman. He framed the decision as a personal need rather than a falling out. Still, the end of this partnership marks a major turning point — both for Adesanya's career and for City Kickboxing's global profile.
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