Israel Adesanya loses out to Jon Jones after campaigning for ESPY’s “Best Comeback Athlete” award

Israel Adesanya was not nominated for ESPY Best Comeback Athlete of the Year award, with Jon Jones getting the UFC nod.

The last twelve months have certainly been interesting for Israel Adesanya. While he did manage to defeat Jared Cannonier last July in a somewhat tepid affair, he proceeded to lose his UFC middleweight championship after getting finished by long-time rival Alex Pereira at Madison Square Garden.

Many wondered whether or not he’d be able to reclaim the belt in a rematch. In April, at UFC 287, he did just that by knocking ‘Poatan’ out in the second round.

RELATED: PROS REACT AFTER ISRAEL ADESANYA KO’S ALEX PEREIRA AT UFC 287

It was a monumental moment for ‘Stylebender’. However, it wasn’t monumental enough for him to be nominated for the Best Comeback Athlete of the Year award.

Instead, that honor went to Jon Jones, who returned after three years away to become a two-weight world champion in the UFC.

Jon Jones nominated for Best Comeback Athlete pic.twitter.com/6FsXudcHam

— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) June 21, 2023

2023 ESPYS – BEST COMEBACK ATHLETE NOMINEES

Jon Jones (won UFC heavyweight title)

Jamal Murray (won NBA championship)

Alyssa Thomas (2022 WNBA Comeback Player of the Year)

Justin Verlander (2022 AL Cy Young and AL Comeback Player of the Year)

No Adesanya?

This isn’t the first time Jon Jones has been nominated and it may well not be the last. When he beat Ciryl Gane earlier this year, nobody can deny that it was a huge moment in his career.

Of course, given his many extended absences, he was always going to be in the running for defeating the Frenchman. As for Adesanya, he’s already got his sights set on defending his 185-pound crown in September – so we can’t imagine he’ll be too upset.

Do you agree with Jon Jones being nominated instead of Israel Adesanya? Is there a chance we’ll see these two fight one another in the future? Let us know, BJPENN Nation!