Former UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya has hinted on a future in Hollywood after his MMA career
The Nigerian revealed he turned down four major Hollywood film roles, including a part in Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, in order to focus on his historic rivalry with Alex Pereira at UFC 281.
In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Adesanya confirmed that while he was at the peak of his career, he consciously chose to forgo acting opportunities—including roles in Creed II and Creed III—to maintain his dominance in the UFC’s middleweight division.
“While I’m fighting, if I decide to take three months to go film a movie, it would f*** my schedule up,” said Adesanya.
“Especially while I was on top, as champion, I was focused on defending my belt.”
Adesanya, whose inspiring journey was chronicled in the 2023 documentary Stylebender, emphasized that his decision was not due to lack of interest in Hollywood, but a deliberate choice to stay laser-focused on what he considered the most critical period of his fighting career.
“It’s not because I didn’t want to do it,” he said. “I just knew I had to focus on the task at hand.”
Turned Down ‘Black Panther’ and ‘Creed’ Roles
The Nigerian-born New Zealander said he was approached for roles in:
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Creed II (2018)
Creed III (2023)
He noted that turning them down was necessary ahead of the UFC 281 bout with longtime kickboxing rival Alex Pereira, which took place at Madison Square Garden in November 2022.
Despite Adesanya’s dedication and intense preparation, the bout ended in heartbreak as Pereira scored a dramatic fifth-round TKO victory, extending his dominance over Adesanya across both kickboxing and MMA formats.
Pereira, trailing on the scorecards, unleashed a barrage of strikes in the final round that forced referee Marc Goddard to step in at 2:01 of Round 5.
The win marked Pereira’s third career victory over Adesanya—two in kickboxing and one in MMA—and crowned him the new UFC Middleweight Champion.
Adesanya had previously looked sharp in Rounds 1 and 3, nearly finishing Pereira in the opening frame and outgrappling him in the third. But Pereira’s relentless pressure and power proved decisive in the final round.
The loss marked Adesanya’s first defeat at middleweight and ended his reign after five successful title defenses.
Future in Acting Still Open
Though he postponed his Hollywood aspirations, Adesanya has not shut the door on an acting career. He made his voice acting debut in Netflix’s Baki Hanma (2021), voicing the character Chamomile Lessen in the popular anime.
“Hollywood will always be there,” Adesanya said, signaling a potential post-fight career on screen.
Now 35, Adesanya is on a challenging run, having suffered consecutive defeats to Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis, followed by a KO loss to top contender Nassourdine Imavov in February 2025.
Despite the setbacks, Adesanya remains one of the sport’s most influential and marketable athletes, with a legacy that extends far beyond the Octagon.
