Israel Adesanya has parted ways with City Kickboxing following a knockout loss to Joe Pyfer at UFC Seattle in March, his fourth consecutive defeat. The Auckland gym has quickly added a new face in 11-1 UFC lightweight prospect Tom Nolan, who has relocated from Australia's Team Compton MMA to join the squad. Team Compton announced the departure in a farewell statement, confirming that Nolan and two teammates are moving to New Zealand together.
Israel Adesanya has split with City Kickboxing following his knockout defeat to Joe Pyfer at UFC Seattle in March, a loss that extended his current skid to four straight defeats and brought an end to his long association with the Auckland gym.
Adesanya, 37, entered the Pyfer fight ranked eighth in the middleweight division and carrying a professional record of 24 wins and 6 losses. The Nigerian-born fighter, who stands six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach, built his reputation as a precise, high-volume striker — averaging 4.03 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy over his career. His departure closes a chapter that included his rise to middleweight champion and multiple title defenses out of the New Zealand facility.
City Kickboxing has wasted little time reshaping its roster. Lightweight prospect Tom Nolan, nicknamed "Big Train," is relocating from Australia to join the gym, bringing two teammates with him from Team Compton MMA. His former gym issued a farewell statement confirming the group's move to New Zealand. Nolan, 26, holds a record of 10-1 and sits ranked thirteenth in the UFC's lightweight division. The six-foot-three southpaw is an aggressive, well-rounded threat — averaging 5.87 significant strikes per minute alongside 1.9 submission attempts per 15 minutes, numbers that suggest an active, opportunistic fighting style with genuine finishing intent.
Why it matters
- Adesanya's exit ends one of the sport's most celebrated gym partnerships; at 37 and ranked eighth at middleweight, his next move will define whether a comeback is realistic.
- Nolan's arrival gives City Kickboxing a young, ranked lightweight with upward trajectory to build around at a time when the gym needs fresh momentum.
- Nolan's submission volume and striking output present a stylistic contrast to the technical, stand-up culture City Kickboxing is known for, making the partnership an intriguing developmental fit.
