Video – Ex-UFC champion Israel Adesanya shows off new neck, face tattoo ahead of Octagon return

Ahead of his expected UFC return later this year, former undisputed middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya has gotten some new ink – in the form of a pair of neck and face tattoos, the second of which above his left eyebrow.

Adesanya, the current #1 ranked middleweight contender under the banner of the UFC, headlined UFC 268 back in November of last year most recently against rival, Alex Pereira, suffering a fifth round TKO loss, dropping his undisputed championship.

The Madison Square Garden matchup came as Israel Adesanya’s third career loss to Sao Paulo native, Pereira in combat sports, following a pair of decision and knockout losses during their respective tenures under the scrutiny of GLORY Kickboxing.

Israel Adesanya dons new ink ahead of 2023 return to the UFC

Expected to rematch Pereira in an undisputed middleweight title fight later this year, Adesanya has kicked off the new year with a pair of tattoos – the first of which appears to be a bird on his neck, while the second comes in the form of Arabic writing above his left eyebrow.

“The old version of you must die before you come alive,” Israel Adesanya tweeted, accompanied by footage of him receiving his new face tattoo.

Landing an impressive middleweight run of victories before his knockout loss to Pereira in the penultimate month of last year, City Kickboxing staple, Adesanya secured five successful defenses of his 185lbs championship.

Unifying the titles against Robert Whittaker in 2019, Adesanya then defeated Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa, Marvin Vettori, Whittaker in a rematch, and in July of last year during International Fight Week, bested Jared Cannonier. 

23-2 as a professional, Adesanya’s sole other professional mixed martial arts loss came in the form of a unanimous decision defeat to former undisputed light heavyweight champion, Jan Blachowicz back in March 2021 in an unsuccessful pursuit to become a two-division Octgaon titleholder.