Israel Adesanya breaks silence on UFC 300 rumours and reveals he ‘WILL fight’ in 2024 amid Dana White’s ‘rabbit in hat’

ISRAEL ADESANYA has addressed rumours of a stunning UFC 300 return - revealing he "WILL" be back in the octagon this year.

Former two-time middleweight champion Adesanya revealed plans to take an extended break from the sport after his shock defeat to Sean Strickland last September.

The Nigerian-born New Zealander has, however, flirted with the prospect of a return later this year, with rumours circulating that he could return at UFC 300 in April for a trilogy fight with Alex Pereira.

Adesanya, 34, has enjoyed his time off but is already itching to get back to it, saying on his: “I’m still going to enjoy this.

"I know I’ll fight [in 2024]; I don’t know when I’m going to fight.

"But when I fight, it’s going to be quality – it’s not going to be quantity.”

Adesanya was on the receiving end of a callout from Pereira last November after his long-time rival knocked out Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295 to claim the vacant light-heavyweight title.

The chance to become a two-weight world champion at the second time of asking and to settle his MMA rivalry with 'Poatan' seems like the perfect circumstances for Adesanya to return.

But The Last Stylebender insists he won't rush his comeback - despite the seemingly ideal conditions for a rubber match with Pereira.

He said: “Look at the Pereira fight. I never looked for… Okay, after the second [kickboxing] fight in Brazil, he knocked me out.

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"I was like: ‘Cool, that’s that.’ Then he chased me to UFC. It’s part of the story.

"Get to Madison Square Garden, beats me in almost the same fashion. I’m like: ‘Damn, the last round again.’

“And I wanted the rematch because I knew in my heart I could beat him.

"So, when I got to that point in Miami [at UFC 287], I just knew: ‘This is it.

"I have to beat this guy.’ And again, that took seven years, I think, to get to that point. Patience.”

Talk of Adesanya returning at UFC 300 comes amid rumours that promotion chief Dana White has a huge "rabbit" in his hat for the historic card.

MMA reporter Ariel Helwani recently said: "They have a rabbit in their hat that they're working on.

"It's not a main event. I know there's one. There is one, but it's not a main event.

"Meaning, they're trying to make this as special as can be."

He added: "It's like a holy s**t type of thing."