Recent comments from Du Plessis questioning Adesanya’s status as a ‘real’ African champion have ‘The Last Stylebender’ seething.
Following his big win over Alex Pereira at UFC 287, Israel Adesanya issued a stern warning to an unnamed 185 pound fighter. Unnamed because Adesanya refused to even speak the dude’s name, lest he lend him some popularity. But it was pretty clear who he was talking about: No. 6 ranked middleweight Dricus Du Plessis.
Du Plessis is a South African fighter who’s drawn some controversy for repeatedly saying he wanted to be the the first real African UFC champion.
“I am not hating on any of the current African champions,” Du Plessis told Independent Online. “Good on them if they made a better life elsewhere. They are African-born, that is their heritage and their right, 100%. But to say that you are fighting out of Africa like us guys do, and you’ve been living in another country your whole life, that is basically riding the train in my opinion.”
“And I just feel that the fans know, feel and see, and obviously there is proof that I am going to be the first real African-born UFC champion. I was born here, I live here, I have never lived anywhere else, this is my home, South Africa is my home country, this is my home continent, and that is exactly what I meant by it and I am sticking with that.”
At the UFC 287 post-fight press conference, Adesanya refused to address Du Plessis by name, but did say he hoped he’d get a chance to face him in the future.
“F—, I don’t want to give this n— no clout,” Adesanya said, thinking for a moment before continuing. “I will whoop that … ugh, I wanna whoop his ass so bad. I wanna whoop his ass so bad. I want to do it in South Africa or Nigeria. But he’s gotta do work. He’s gotta do something. Show me something so I can whoop that ass and I can show you history. I’ll remind you.”
Israel Adesanya says he doesn’t want to give this specific fighter clout but here’s the message #UFC287 pic.twitter.com/3wWNmuErbK
— Helen Yee (@HelenYeeSports) April 9, 2023
“Because you gotta choose your words wisely when you speak on people that have come before you. People that paved the way for you. You’ve got to pick your words wisely. You want to try and be a big boy? I don’t want to give him no clout, but if he does work — and I pray to God he keeps winning — I will gladly drag his carcass across South Africa.”
Israel Adesanya was born in Lagos, Nigeria and moved to New Zealand in 2001 when he was 11 years old. Having his credentials as a legitimate African champion clearly annoys him greatly, and who knows … maybe Du Plessis said what he said to get a rise out of “The Last Stylebender” and help him secure a title fight.
“Still Knocks” is 5-0 in the UFC and 19-2 overall. One solid win over a top five middleweight and Adesanya might move him to the front of the line just so he can punch him in the face.
With the UFC reportedly looking into holding an event in Dakar, Senegal sometime in the future, could the stars align for an African champion vs. African challenger main event?