‘DDP’ missed out on UFC 300 due to a foot injury, and he’s willing to miss out on most of 2024 if it means fighting Adesanya in South Africa.
Dricus Du Plessis is holding out hope that the UFC can book him against Israel Adesanya in South Africa this year.
At one point the UFC had three African champions — Kamru Usman, Israel Adesanya, and Francis Ngannou. The promotion never made it to the motherland for the “Three Kings,” but new middleweight champ and South African native Dricus Du Plessis is hoping it’ll happen for a showdown with Adesanya.
“I know Dana White said ‘If Dricus becomes champion, we will be looking at doing an event in South Africa,’” Du Plessis said on his YouTube channel. “They want to do it, if we can make that happen this year, I will wait for that because it’s a legacy fight. That is a legacy fight for both of us.”
Du Plessis and Adesanya were almost set up as the main event of UFC 300, but a fractured foot on DDP’s side ended that talk. Now he’s taking time to heal, and giving the UFC a little time to figure out logistics for an Africa show.
“That is the only thing that will make me wait,” Du Plessis said. “If I have to wait til November, December, whatever the case may be, if they take that much time to make it happen. But if it’s not a possibility this year, I want to fight two more times this year.”
“[Adesanya] has been a big mouth about coming to South Africa and dragging carcasses,” he declared. “So be a man of your word, step up, do it. Let’s make UFC Africa happen!”