Dricus Du Plessis is expressing his concerns about the direction of his rivalry with Israel Adesanya.
The intense exchange of banter between Du Plessis and Adesanya reached its peak at UFC 290, which took place two weekends ago. After Du Plessis scored a massive second-round TKO upset over former champion Robert Whittaker, Adesanya entered the cage to confront the new No. 1 contender. During the confrontation, Adesanya used a series of offensive language directed at the South African native. Security closely monitored the situation as Du Plessis stood his ground momentarily. However, he eventually decided to end the staredown by walking away with his hands raised, celebrating the biggest victory of his 22-fight career (20-2).
The heated exchanges between Adesanya and Du Plessis are rooted in the latter’s comments about becoming the first fighter from Africa to win a UFC title. Although Du Plessis has not taken back his statement, he clarified that his intention was never racially motivated. He now hopes to distance himself from such types of talk as soon as possible.
Addressing the incident on Cameron Saaiman’s YouTube channel, Du Plessis said, “There are people looking up to you as a champion, and that was my statement afterward, saying, ‘You behaved like a child and a clown, behave like a man.’ You are an example to people all over the world, one of the biggest stars in sports, not only in this sport, but in sports overall. So, talking about the vibe somewhere in this whole saga, but using racial slurs does not belong in sports or anywhere in the world, in my opinion. I do not want that to be a part of anything that I’m doing.”
Du Plessis’ victory has solidified his position as the next title challenger for Adesanya, and the scheduled date for their fight is set for UFC 293 in September in Sydney, Australia. However, Adesanya has raised doubts about Du Plessis’ status due to a possible foot injury. Adesanya further insulted Du Plessis and expressed interest in fighting Sean Strickland instead. While Du Plessis did not address the speculation with his teammate Saaiman, Strickland confirmed that discussions for a fight against Adesanya are underway in an interview with Helen Yee.
Regardless of whether Du Plessis will get the title shot next, his confidence in achieving his championship dreams has only grown stronger after their face-to-face confrontation. Du Plessis remarked, “He was drunk, I guess. I hope so for his part. They were just like, ‘Is this a good idea?’ Because they didn’t want to take the moment away from myself and Rob, which I understand, but it didn’t feel like that to me. To me, it felt like, ‘Give me my next target.'”
In other news, middleweight division has become incredibly intriguing and promises an exciting future for fans. Happy Friday, everyone, and thanks for reading!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about rivalry
Q: What happened during the confrontation between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya at UFC 290?
A: During UFC 290, following Dricus Du Plessis’ second-round TKO victory over Robert Whittaker, Israel Adesanya entered the cage and confronted the new No. 1 contender. He unleashed offensive language towards Du Plessis, leading to a tense standoff that ended with Du Plessis walking away.
Q: What is the reason behind the heated exchanges between Du Plessis and Adesanya?
A: The rivalry between Du Plessis and Adesanya stems from Du Plessis’ comments about becoming the first fighter to bring a UFC title to Africa. While Du Plessis clarified that his intention was not racially motivated, Adesanya took issue with his statements and engaged in heated volleys.
Q: How does Dricus Du Plessis feel about Adesanya’s behavior during the confrontation?
A: Du Plessis disapproves of Adesanya’s behavior during the confrontation, stating that the use of racial slurs does not belong in sports or anywhere in the world. He believes Adesanya’s actions were not in line with being a role model and an example to people worldwide.
Q: Will Dricus Du Plessis get a title shot against Israel Adesanya?
A: While Du Plessis’ victory at UFC 290 made him the undeniable next title challenger, Adesanya hinted at him having a foot injury, raising doubts about the fight. Discussions for a potential fight against Sean Strickland have also been mentioned.
Q: How confident is Dricus Du Plessis in his championship dreams after facing Adesanya in the cage?
A: Du Plessis has grown even more confident in his championship dreams after facing Adesanya in person. He believes that Adesanya is in trouble once they step into the cage together, and he is determined to achieve his goals in the middleweight division.
Q: What are the latest developments in the middleweight division?
A: The middleweight division has become increasingly intriguing, promising a thrilling future for fans. The rivalry between Du Plessis and Adesanya, as well as potential matchups with other fighters like Sean Strickland, adds excitement to the division’s landscape.
More about rivalry
- UFC 290 Recap
- Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya Confrontation
- Dricus Du Plessis’ Comments on UFC Title in Africa
- Dricus Du Plessis Interview on Cameron Saaiman’s YouTube Channel
- Sean Strickland’s Interview with Helen Yee
- UFC 293 Event Details
- Middleweight Division News
5 comments
omg, adesanya be usin’ racial slurs? not cool man! du plessis did da right ting not entertainin’ dat trash talk. hope dey sort dis out and get a clean fight at ufc 293.
du plessis be bringin’ some serious energy! his confidence after facin’ adesanya is off da charts. middleweight division gonna be wild, can’t wait!
wow, du plessis vs adesanya at ufc 290 was insane! dat confrontation got real heated, but kudos to du plessis for walking away. he got major guts standin’ his ground like dat.
adesanya callin’ out strickland instead of du plessis? man, dat’s some shady move! want to see du plessis get his title shot fair n’ square.
ufc 290 got me hyped! whittaker loss was a shocker, but du plessis deserved dat win. du plessis vs adesanya gonna be a banger, let’s go!