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Dricus du Plessis Breaks Down the Strategy That Bested Israel Adesanya at UFC 305

Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya Stillknocks” Dricus du Plessis was able to defeat the former titleholder Israel Adesanya to defend the UFC middleweight world…

Stillknocks” Dricus du Plessis was able to defeat the former titleholder Israel Adesanya to defend the UFC middleweight world championship. The South African and Nigerian-Kiwi had a back-and-forth match in the UFC 305 headliner. Du Plessis broke down the game plan that he and his team used to defeat the expert striker.

Dricus du Plessis Talks Israel Adesanya – UFC 305

The South African athlete Dricus du Plessis has been on an unbeaten run in the UFC middleweight division. Before taking the title from Sean Strickland, he defeated fighters such as Robert Whittaker, Derek Brunson, also Darren Till, and now we can add Israel Adesanya to the list.

With a background in Judo and amateur kickboxing, Dricus du Plessis is a mixed-style fighter but mainly focuses on his grappling. While he is effective on the feet, the real bread and butter of his game in his top position wrestling. Israel Adesanya is a dangerous kickboxer with superb takedown defense so preparing for this fight is a huge challenge.

Speaking to the media, Dricus du Plessis shared what their game plan was coming into the middleweight title bout. Dricus du Plessis explained:

“So every round, you can at the beginning of that round I was standing my ground, but he was in the middle of the octagon, and he was almost dictating. But if you’re not used to fighting like that, you get more tired, if you’re not used fighting with that kind of pressure. And I didn’t back off. I wasn’t fighting on the outside, I just stood my ground. And every round, [with] around two minutes [left] my coach would shout, ‘Listen, it’s time to go!’

“And I would start pushing forward, start pushing forward. That’s when I started getting — every round at the end, I got the success, got the success. And every round, the first bit of the round when he was dictating would be shorter, shorter, shorter. In that fourth round, I landed quite a lot of big shots. The man can take a punch, but you can only take that many.

“I knew, physically, I’m stronger than Israel Adesanya. He is a master at getting back to his feet if you have his back. [Robert] Whittaker had his back many times. How many guys have gotten him down and not been able to do anything with it? So I got him down in the second round, landed a couple of hard shots, and every time he would get back to his feet, I didn’t fight him on it.

“I just kept control of the hits and landed big shots, because he was so focused on my hands on his hips, he wouldn’t protect his face. Land big shots, maybe they’d create a cut, that was what I was hoping for. Land big, big, hard punches, then get him back down to the ground so he has to do all that trouble [again].

“In that fourth, man was staggered from the blows. I could see when he went down, I landed big shots. I didn’t plan on taking him down. I was actually planning on knocking him out [but] body positioning was just that of, the best thing to do right now is take him down. And I could feel as we went to the ground, he wasn’t resisting at all. He was out of it a little, I got the back, and as soon as I straightened him out, it was over.” [Ht MMAFighting]

Sean Strickland’s Coach Expands On Strategy For Dricus Du Plessis Rematch: ‘It’s Gonna Be To The Death!’

The next middleweight title fight would appear to be a rematch of what fight fans saw take place over five rounds in the main event of UFC 297. Dricus Du Plessis won a split decision on that night in January to take the belt from Sean Strickland, following a back-and-forth encounter. After Strickland was able […]

Continue Reading Sean Strickland’s Coach Expands On Strategy For Dricus Du Plessis Rematch: ‘It’s Gonna Be To The Death!’ at MMA News.

The next middleweight title fight would appear to be a rematch of what fight fans saw take place over five rounds in the main event of UFC 297.

Dricus Du Plessis won a split decision on that night in January to take the belt from Sean Strickland, following a back-and-forth encounter.

After Strickland was able to bounce back with a win over Paulo Costa and Du Plessis defended the title against Israel Adesanya this past weekend, a rematch is on the cards.

Given how close it was the first time around, there likely isn’t going to be a big change made by either man that will drastically change the way this one plays out – and that’s how Strickland’s head coach sees it.

Eric Nicksick Says He Expects A Similar Fight With Small ‘Chess Match’ Adjustments

In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Eric Nicksick spoke about his expectations for preparing Strickland to face Du Plessis for a second time.

He spoke about how the key to this fight will be focusing on small adjustments because they wouldn’t need to do much different to have won the first encounter.

“There are some things and I’ve said them publicly in the past but there are definitely some things that we went away from that would have helped negate that forward pressure and I still firmly believe had we stayed on those things, we would have won that fight and he didn’t do those things, Sean did not do those things. So, we need to get back to some small little changes.

“There’s some things on the ground that I think we can accomplish as well that I would like to revisit with Sean and yeah. I mean it wasn’t this crazy, crazy, ‘Oh dude, we got our a** kicked’. There was just some small little things but now the fun part is the chess match. What are they going to do to go back and make those adjustments and what are they going to expect us to make our adjustments on, and then there’s that little game of chess now. That’ll be the fun part.”

Nicksick also believes that this first fight is going to look very similar to the UFC 297 headliner because of the styles and toughness of both men.

He can’t see a way that it doesn’t end up being a test of both men’s wills when the going gets tough.

“You would love to say, ‘Oh, we’re gonna go in there and smoke this dude’ but Dricus, he’ll look awful and then he comes back and does his thing so you got to expect a knockdown drag out fight. 2-2 going into round five, hey we’re down to the last five minutes, we’re going to have to dig deep and figure out a way to get this fight, that’s how we have to train, that’s how we have to expect it. It’s going to be to the death.”

Continue Reading Sean Strickland’s Coach Expands On Strategy For Dricus Du Plessis Rematch: ‘It’s Gonna Be To The Death!’ at MMA News.

Tom Aspinall Has High Praise For Dricus Du Plessis After UFC 305: ‘One Of The Smartest Fighters In The UFC’

Count Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall among those majorly impressed by Dricus Du Plessis’ performance Down Under this past weekend. Du Plessis made the walk at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, to put his middleweight gold on the line against the returning Israel Adesanya. The pair met in the UFC 305 main event, […]

Continue Reading Tom Aspinall Has High Praise For Dricus Du Plessis After UFC 305: ‘One Of The Smartest Fighters In The UFC’ at MMA News.

Count Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall among those majorly impressed by Dricus Du Plessis’ performance Down Under this past weekend.

Du Plessis made the walk at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, to put his middleweight gold on the line against the returning Israel Adesanya. The pair met in the UFC 305 main event, following an undercard that included standout wins for the likes of Dan Hooker and Kai Kara-France.

“The Last Stylebender” couldn’t make it three wins from three for Auckland’s City Kickboxing gym, with his South African counterpart finding a submission in round four to emerge victorious from a competitive and enthralling headliner.

Having long been doubted owing to his unusual approach to fighting, Du Plessis has no doubt been enjoying his victory lap, laughing at those who spoke ill of his chances against Adesanya.

“Stillknocks” has been getting increased respect and praise from many after successfully defending his gold for the first time, and not many plaudits have come grander than those of the interim heavyweight champ…

Aspinall On Du Plessis’ UFC 305 Win: ‘Just Looked Fantastic Out There’

During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Aspinall reacted to his promotion’s latest PPV event and the matchup that concluded it inside the RAC Arena.

Aspinall shared a common sentiment when it comes to deciphering what it is about Du Plessis that makes him so effective. Whatever it is, the heavyweight champ is impressed, so much so that he placed the South African among the most intelligent athletes currently competing on MMA’s biggest stage.

“DDP, you can’t count this guy out,” Aspinall said. “I watch fights as a fan, but I also watch fights as a fighter to try and pick up little nuances, and I love to study different styles. For me personally, DDP is a guy who I’m baffled by, in all honesty. I’m completely baffled by his style because you watch him and, to be brutally honest, he looks a little bit inferior to his opponents in terms of technique, but it’s amazing to watch because he obviously isn’t inferior.

“The gameplans that this guy and his coaches are doing are absolutely unbelievable. Me personally, I think he’s one of the smartest fighters in the UFC and his team must be very, very smart as well,” Aspinall continued. “The guy just finds a way to win. He’s extremely physically strong. … He looks a little bit messy, and I’m sure we all can agree on that. But he makes up for it in spirit, his will to win, and persistence. If he doesn’t get what he’s going for, he will keep going and grind his opponents down until he gets it. He just looked fantastic out there (at UFC 305).”

Like Aspinall, plenty have been confused by Du Plessis’ style and continued success, be it more fellow fighters, veteran analysts, or fans.

But the South African has evidently found an approach that works incredibly well for him, and having proved his detractors wrong yet again, perhaps questions surrounding his unorthodox strategies will die down as his title reign continues on its way.

Read More: 5 Positives & 3 Negatives From UFC 305: Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya

Continue Reading Tom Aspinall Has High Praise For Dricus Du Plessis After UFC 305: ‘One Of The Smartest Fighters In The UFC’ at MMA News.

Israel Adesanya Opens Up On Octagon Exchange With Dricus Du Plessis At UFC 305: ‘If I See Him, It’s Love’

Israel Adesanya recently shed light on his post-fight interaction following his defeat to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305. Adesanya’s bid to reclaim the middleweight title for a third time ended in heartbreak as he fell to a fourth-round submission against “Stillknocks” last weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia. Adesanya started the […]

Continue Reading Israel Adesanya Opens Up On Octagon Exchange With Dricus Du Plessis At UFC 305: ‘If I See Him, It’s Love’ at MMA News.

Israel Adesanya recently shed light on his post-fight interaction following his defeat to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305.

Adesanya’s bid to reclaim the middleweight title for a third time ended in heartbreak as he fell to a fourth-round submission against “Stillknocks” last weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.

Adesanya started the bout with impressive precision, appearing to have the fight under control. However, Du Plessis dramatically altered the course of the contest in the championship round, landing a torrent of potent blows that left the former champion reeling. The South African expertly seized the opening to lock in a decisive rear-naked choke to conclude the bout.

Though the build-up to this fight was marked by a fierce exchange of verbal jabs, particularly revolving around the cultural clash narrative, Adesanya and Du Plessis left the animosity behind once they settled their differences in the Octagon.

After the fight concluded, the middleweight rivals were seen exchanging cordial words in the Octagon before the result was announced. “Stillknocks” promptly paid tribute to his opponent, hailing the Nigerian-born Kiwi as a “legend” and a future “Hall of Famer.” In turn, “The Last Stylebender” hinted at a potential future camaraderie with Du Plessis, even suggesting they might hang out as he spoke with UFC color commentator Daniel Cormier.

Adesanya On Du Plessis: ‘I Don’t Think He’s A Bad Person’

During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Adesanya opened up about the exchange he had with Du Plessis after their bout. “The Last Stylebender” revealed that their words were filled with mutual respect and that his perception of the South African fighter has since evolved.

“Oh, he just gave me a lot of props, a lot of love, a lot of respect,” Adesanya said. “I accepted it and I shook his hand. Then, after his interview, when we were leaving the cage, we just talked. He said ‘sorry,’ maybe—I can’t remember—but he just gave me a lot of props. He said, ‘Hey, you know, I’m a big fan,’ and of course, I was like, ‘I know.’ And I said, ‘Look, look how far we’ve come from way back then—who would have thought? Now we’re here.’ I was like, ‘f**k yeah,’ and then we hugged. I said, ‘Look, I respect you, I appreciate you.’ I don’t think DDP is a bad person. I don’t know him. Again, we’re not friends, we don’t know each other, but we can be cool—we’re cool, and I respect him.”

Adesanya further stressed that any lingering grudges against Du Plessis are now a thing of the past.

“It was never beef. Again, when I say beef, it’s just like you have to fight someone—you don’t have to like them. You don’t have to like them. Again, he didn’t like me, I didn’t like him, but I think now we have a healthy respect for each other. I won’t say we’re BFFs or we’re friends, but if I see him, it’s love. I’ll give him a hug, I’ll dap him up.”

The rivalry between Adesanya and Du Plessis had seen its ups and downs over the past year, starting when Adesanya held the title, and Du Plessis vowed to become the UFC’s first “true African champion.”

Read More: Dricus Du Plessis Embraces Israel Adesanya’s Parents Backstage At UFC 305: ‘You Have An Incredible Son’

Continue Reading Israel Adesanya Opens Up On Octagon Exchange With Dricus Du Plessis At UFC 305: ‘If I See Him, It’s Love’ at MMA News.

Darren Till plots UFC return, Dricus du Plessis rematch: ‘I might come back just to beat him’

Eagerly watching on at UFC 305 over the course of the weekend, former title challenger, Darren Till has claimed…

Eagerly watching on at UFC 305 over the course of the weekend, former title challenger, Darren Till has claimed he would consider a return to the Octagon to take on incumbent middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis – beating him and then leaving once more.

Till, a former undisputed welterweight title challenger, departed the promotion at the beginning of last year – upon his own request as he dealt with a slew of recurring injuries.

Without a walk in mixed martial arts since the December of the prior year, Liverpool striker, Darren Till dropped a stunning third round neck crank submission loss to then-contender, du Plessis – in another defeat for the former welterweight star since his move to the middleweight limit.

Over the course of the weekend, du Plessis, who is yet to suffer defeat in the promotion, turned in the first successful defense of his middleweight crown – stopping former two-time champion, Israel Adesanya in a stunning fourth round rear-naked choke win in Perth in the main event of UFC 305.

Darren Till eyes rematch with Dricus du Plessis after UFC 305

And jabbing at Team Kaobon striker, Till in the immediate aftermath of his submission of Adesanya – who offered du Plessis advice on how to beat the City Kickboxing star, the former Octagon favorite has now vowed to return to action to topple the Pretoria native.

“I might come back the (sic) UFC just to beat DDP & leave again,” Darren Till posted on his official X account. “What you saying @danawhite Hunter.”

I might come back the UFC just to beat DDP & leave again.
What you saying @danawhite Hunter?

— DT (@darrentill2) August 19, 2024

Hit with a slew of fight offers in the aftermath of his win against Adesanya, du Plessis weighed up a rematch with already-pegged top-contender, Sean Strickland – as well as former middleweight gold holder, Alex Pereira.

The Brazilian has since achieved gold at the light heavyweight limit, but stunningly offered to make one final 185lbs appearance to take on South African champion, du Plessis.

Classy Kamaru Usman Reacts To Du Plessis’ UFC 305 Win: ‘We’ve Moved On From Three Kings To Four Horsemen’

Kamaru Usman recently expressed his views on Dricus Du Plessis’ impressive win over Israel Adesanya at UFC 305. “Stillknocks” retained his UFC middleweight championship in commanding style last weekend, submitting Adesanya with a fourth-round rear-naked choke in a thrilling contest at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. In a fiercely contested bout where neither fighter […]

Continue Reading Classy Kamaru Usman Reacts To Du Plessis’ UFC 305 Win: ‘We’ve Moved On From Three Kings To Four Horsemen’ at MMA News.

Kamaru Usman recently expressed his views on Dricus Du Plessis’ impressive win over Israel Adesanya at UFC 305.

“Stillknocks” retained his UFC middleweight championship in commanding style last weekend, submitting Adesanya with a fourth-round rear-naked choke in a thrilling contest at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.

In a fiercely contested bout where neither fighter held back, Du Plessis displayed remarkable grit and determination. As the fight entered the championship rounds, the South African unleashed a relentless flurry of punches that left “The Last Stylebender” reeling. Seizing the momentum, the defending champion secured a takedown and swiftly transitioned to lock in a decisive submission.

Despite a rivalry that had flared up and taken an ugly turn on multiple occasions, Du Plessis and Adesanya finally put their animosity to rest after their historic clash. The bout, steeped in a fierce cultural clash narrative, marked the UFC’s first-ever all-African title fight.

Adesanya, originally born in Lagos, Nigeria, and later relocating to New Zealand at a young age, had previously accused Du Plessis of undermining the legacy of the “African Kings”. This tension began when “Stillknocks” had boldly claimed he wanted to be the ‘real’ African UFC champion.

The title of “African Kings” was a prestigious moniker bestowed upon Adesanya, alongside Usman and Francis Ngannou, during a time when the trio simultaneously held UFC belts, representing the continent on the global stage.

“The Nigerian Nightmare” provided a nuanced perspective about the heated feud heading into UFC 305 and also his thoughts on where Du Plessis fits into UFC’s African elite.

Usman Includes Du Plessis In UFC’s African Elite

During a recent episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast with Henry Cejudo, Usman delved into Du Plessis’ victory over Adesanya at UFC 305. However, the conversation quickly escalated into a lively debate when the former UFC welterweight champion voiced his displeasure over Cejudo’s lighthearted remark – where he dubbed Du Plessis the “Real African King.”

“I understand it was a whole marketing thing for Dricus Du Plessis, which he might not have necessarily meant in the way that Israel might have taken it,” Usman said. “But you have to be careful because it’s dangerous—it’s very, very dangerous. You have to be careful with what you say because now we’re in a position to influence the masses in the world. So, with power—I say it all the time—with great power comes great responsibility. When you have that platform and you have that mic in your hand, you have to be careful with what you say.”

“The Nigerian Nightmare” went on to emphasize that Du Plessis is actually the fourth African champion.

“So to say, ‘Oh, I’m the real African,’ that’s completely crazy. And for you [Cejudo] to say that perpetually, ‘Oh, he’s the real African king,’ I know you’re just joking, but it’s not—this is how division continues to be perpetuated. Dricus Du Plessis is the fourth African champion right now, so there are four horsemen. We’ve moved on from the three kings to where now it’s four horsemen. So to continue to perpetuate this whole ‘Oh, African king’ or this or that, that’s ridiculous.”

Read More: 5 Positives & 3 Negatives From UFC 305: Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya

Continue Reading Classy Kamaru Usman Reacts To Du Plessis’ UFC 305 Win: ‘We’ve Moved On From Three Kings To Four Horsemen’ at MMA News.