Following his victory over Robert Whittaker at UFC 290, Dricus du Plessis has earned himself a shot at the UFC middleweight title against Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 in September. Du Plessis showcased his dominance in the middleweight division by delivering a knockout punch to Whittaker in Round 2, ultimately securing a TKO finish.
During his post-fight interview with UFC commentator Joe Rogan, du Plessis expressed his honor to share the cage with a legend like Whittaker. However, when Adesanya entered the Octagon, du Plessis questioned his designation as “the great” and engaged in a verbal exchange.
Adesanya responded with a fiery message for his upcoming challenger, fueled by the tension between them. Du Plessis had previously referred to himself as “the African fighter” in the UFC, highlighting his South African heritage, while Adesanya, who was born in Nigeria and currently resides in New Zealand, felt that this minimized the accomplishments of African-born champions like himself, Francis Ngannou, and Kamaru Usman.
The fight between Adesanya and the winner of Whittaker vs. du Plessis was already scheduled for UFC 293 in Sydney on Sept. 10.
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