Navajo Stirling reacts to Israel Adesanya leaving City Kickboxing: ‘I was happy for him’

Navajo Stirling is preparing for one of the biggest fights of his career—a co-main event clash against Jan Blachowicz at UFC Belgrade on Saturday—but his usual training environment at City Kickboxing has undergone a significant shift. Israel Adesanya, the former UFC middleweight champion and a foundational figure at the New Zealand gym for over a decade, has announced his departure from head coach Eugene Bareman's camp and the City Kickboxing team.

The split surprised many given Adesanya's long tenure, but the fighter indicated the move was overdue. Stirling, however, expressed no bitterness about losing his high-profile training partner. Speaking at UFC Belgrade media day, the Kiwi fighter said he was genuinely happy for Adesanya, recognizing that sometimes a fighter needs fresh surroundings and new opportunities to grow. Stirling credited "The Last Stylebender" with opening doors not only for City Kickboxing fighters but for combat athletes across the region.

"He's paved the way for so many of us back home," Stirling said. "He's paved the way for all of us. We all look up at him and we all want the best for him."

While Adesanya has not yet disclosed his next training destination or UFC return date, Stirling emphasized that City Kickboxing's depth runs far deeper than any single fighter. The gym continues to produce top talent and now counts former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker among its training partners available to Stirling. Despite losing a marquee name, the camp remains competitive and positioned to support its upcoming generation of fighters.