Israel Adesanya Launches New Training Camp Alongside Alexander Volkanovski in Australia
A fresh Israel Adesanya training camp appears to be officially underway after the former two-time UFC middleweight champion was spotted preparing alongside longtime friend Alexander Volkanovski in Australia. The high-profile gym appearance marks Adesanya’s first publicly confirmed training camp session since announcing his historic departure from City Kickboxing earlier this summer.
Social media footage captured the former divisional ruler arriving at Freestyle Fighting Gym in Wollongong, New South Wales, carrying his training gear and protective shin pads. Adesanya exchanged warm greetings with gym staff and fighters before stepping onto the Method Grappling academy mats to share an enthusiastic embrace with Volkanovski.
The sighting in Wollongong quickly validated growing speculation that Adesanya has commenced physical preparations for his anticipated Octagon comeback. Longtime combat sports nutritionist Jack Doherty recently heightened fan anticipation by sharing clips of the veteran adhering to a strict fight camp nutrition routine.
Adesanya sent shockwaves through Oceania and the global mixed martial arts community in July when he revealed he was leaving City Kickboxing after 16 years. Having joined head coach Eugene Bareman at the Auckland facility in 2009, Adesanya evolved into the gym’s premier superstar and one of the most dominant champions of modern combat sports.
In an emotional video detailing his exit published on his official YouTube channel, Adesanya explained that he felt an urgent need to shake up his training environment rather than remain complacent. “Wednesday, 20th May, I spoke to Eugene face to face, and I told him I am not coming back to CKB,” Adesanya revealed, describing the conversation as emotionally heavy but ultimately necessary.
“Insanity is doing the same sh*t and expecting different results,” Adesanya added when explaining why he needed a tailored, individualized approach for the twilight stages of his storied career. He emphasized that the departure stemmed from an athletic desire to reinvent himself rather than deep personal bitterness toward the Auckland institution.
When addressing his future roadmap, Adesanya stressed that he envisioned operating as a combat sports nomad moving forward. Traveling to different high-level gyms allows the kickboxing savant to absorb fresh technical perspectives without being tied down to a singular permanent headquarters.
The radical gym relocation comes on the heels of the most challenging competitive stretch of Adesanya’s professional fighting journey. “The Last Stylebender” has dropped five of his past six bouts, including a second-round technical knockout loss to hard-hitting contender Joe Pyfer at UFC Fight Night in Seattle this past March.
That stoppage defeat compounded previous setbacks against Nassourdine Imavov, Dricus du Plessis, and Sean Strickland, forcing the perennial pound-for-pound standout down to No. 10 in the official UFC middleweight rankings. Despite outside observers suggesting that retirement might be the safest course, Adesanya has repeatedly dismissed calls to hang up his four-ounce gloves.
“I know what I can do still,” Adesanya told reporters earlier this year when addressing the growing scrutiny surrounding his recent Octagon skid. The former champion noted that self-belief and athletic pride remain driving forces as he seeks to write a triumphant closing chapter.
Freestyle Fighting Gym represents a natural temporary home for Adesanya, given his deep, decade-long camaraderie with Volkanovski. The pair frequently cross-trained together during their simultaneous championship reigns, often sharing fight week accommodations in Las Vegas while reigning over the featherweight and middleweight divisions.
Volkanovski is currently immersed in a rigorous preparation phase of his own under head coach Joe Lopez, gearing up to face undefeated contender Movsar Evloev at UFC 333 in late October. The Wollongong facility has evolved into an international combat sports destination, also hosting surging Brazilian lightweight contender Mauricio Ruffy ahead of the autumn pay-per-view card.
For Adesanya, collaborating with Lopez and Volkanovski offers substantial tactical advantages, particularly in defensive wall work, Greco-Roman positioning, and high-pressure pacing. Those precise areas proved troublesome during his recent encounters against aggressive grapplers and heavy punchers inside the Octagon.
Although the newly surfaced Israel Adesanya training camp footage confirms he is logging grueling hours on the mats, the UFC has yet to announce an official opponent or event date for his return. Potential matchups against top-ten contenders or a grudge match with former rival Strickland have captured fan interest, but promotional matchmakers have kept upcoming plans under wraps.
Adesanya’s arrival in New South Wales signals that the decorated former kingpin is fully committed to testing himself away from his long-established comfort zone. As Volkanovski fine-tunes his game for October, mixed martial arts fans will be watching closely to see if this collaborative Aussie camp sparks a vintage resurgence for “The Last Stylebender.”