Former two-time undisputed middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya is reportedly set to make his return to the Octagon in the…
Former two-time undisputed middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya is reportedly set to make his return to the Octagon in the near future, according to his head coach, Eugene Bareman, with the City Kickboxing staple “answering a call” from the promotion, amid continues links to a UFC 300 headliner against newly-minted champion, Dricus du Plessis.
Adesanya, the current number one ranked middleweight contender, has been sidelined since he headlined UFC 293 back in September, losing his crown for the second time in a calendar year with a upset decision loss to rival, Sean Strickland.
And announcing plans to take a long-time hiatus away from the Octagon, Nigerian-Kiwi striker, Israel Adesanya has since confirmed he is ready to fight again, as he recovers from an undisclosed injury suffered in recent months.
“I can say that, we’re ready to fight,” Eugene Bareman said during an interview with The Mac Life. “Israel (Adesanya) is ready to fight. He’s in camp – has been in camp. And we answered a call that said, ‘Can you be ready for this?’ And we assessed it because Israel is coming off an injury.”
“We assessed everything and put everything together, and decided as a team, yeah, let’s get into camp, and let’s start to get fit. Let’s come back a little earlier, at some risk – at some proper risk.” Bareman explained. “And there’s a strong possibility that this fight could happen on this date. And let’s act as if we’re fighting on this date.”
For du Plessis, the Pretoria native minted himself as the undisputed middleweight champion back in January, beating the aforenoted common-foe, Strickland in a close, split decision win over the defending gold holder.
Do you expect Israel Adesanya to return at UFC 300?
With April’s monumental UFC 300 card still without an official headliner, a host of floated matchups have been tossed…
With April’s monumental UFC 300 card still without an official headliner, a host of floated matchups have been tossed into the ether ahead of the flagship event, from the likes of massive return for ex-champion, Conor McGregor – to light heavyweight kingpin, Alex Pereira, and former middleweight titleholder, striking star, Israel Adesanya.
With the current setup featuring two ‘title’ fights in the form of an undisputed strawweight clash between Chinese pair, Zhang Weili, and Yan Xiaonan – as well as a symbolic BMF championship bout between Justin Gaethje and Max Holloways, fans have called for another championship pairing – or a leftfield return or blockbuster non-title affair to take main event honors.
Promotional CEO, Dana White has claimed he plans two more fights to take place on the April card – including an elusive main event, so let’s take a look at what realistic options the promotion have to take curtain closing honors on the flagship show.
Tom Aspinall vs. Alex Pereira –
Minting himself as the interim heavyweight champion on the same card as Alex Pereira’s ascension to the light heavyweight throne, Tom Aspinall may be forced into a defense of that interim crown while he awaits a title unification fight with Jon Jones.
And naturally, following his rise from the middleweight limit – where he also landed spoils, Pereira has been floated as an opponent to Aspinall in a stunning heavyweight title launch – in a bid to become the first three-weight champion in Octagon antiquity.
With weeks dwindling down to UFC 300 –in which players from Kentucky and elsewhere can place bets on a slew of fights on the stacked card, could White and brass have a perfect main event fight in the form of Aspinall x Pereira sat right in front of them?
Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler –
Former two-weight champion, Conor McGregor may have been steadfast in his claim to a June 29. fight during International Fight Week against Michael Chandler, however, White has firmly put the brakes on that date for his return.
Fans have speculated the promotional boss is simply trying to throw fans off the scent of and impending announcement confirming McGregor’s comeback at UFC 300 against the aforenoted, Chandler.
It seems a perfect-fit for a pay-per-view card of this nature, however, with the inclusion of two championship fights, as well as a stacked card from top-to-bottom, featuring McGregorn an event as such would be a first for the organization, who have relied on the Dubliner’s sole star power in the past to spearhead their cards – rather than building huge events around him.
Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya –
Another fight seemingly right on the horizon for the promotion – even for the UFC 300 card, is a middleweight championship grudge fight between Dricus du Plessis and the above-mentioned, Israel Adesanya.
Striking gold at UFC 297 back in January, South African champion, du Plessis toppled common-foe, Sean Strickland in Canada, before calling out Adesanya for a title affair.
Attempting to secure a massive title fight with the City Kickboxing staple, du Plessis has since now claimed that a potential longer-than-expected sidelining ro recover from injuries suffered last month, may force him to sit out a UFC 300 card – in place of a UFC Africa event, rumored to take place later this annum.
Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz 3 –
This one comes as a rather leftfield suggestion – one that also completely shafts the aforenoted, Chandler.
Long-linked with a trilogy rubber-match with long-time foe, Nate Diaz, Conor McGregor has claimed in the time since their 2016 rematch how he owes the Stockton native a decider in the form of a third fight – and has received backing to feature against the alum at a massive UFC 300 card.
Himself welcoming the possibility of headlining UFC 300 against his Crumlin rival, McGregor – Diaz cited their failed UFC 200 rematch back in 2016, however, the Californian would first and foremost have to re-up with the organization.
Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya III –
In a bid to potentially round out their rivalry once and for all – the possibility of Alex Pereira defending his light heavyweight crown against Israel Adesanya, in place of an injury-stricken, du Plessis at UFC 300 – could be one of the more realistic options to headline the event in April.
1-1 throughout their Octagon rivalry, following two prior victories for Pereira in the pair’s Kickboxing tenures, given the Brazilian’s ascension to light heavyweight supremacy, a title fight at 205 pounds against Nigerian-Kiwi enemy, Adesanya could very well draw in the general fanbase to a massive UFC 300 card.
Adesanya’s most recent outing inside the Octagon came last September in a title fight loss to the previously mentioned, Strickland in a huge upset defeat, however, with time running thin on securing a UFC 300 headliner, promotional brass may look to the ex-two-time gold holder to take main event honors in a light heavyweight sophomore outing against Pereira in a bid to mint himself as a two-weight gold holder.
Ariel Helwani dropped a potential bombshell on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, revealing that the UFC is frantically…
Ariel Helwani dropped a potential bombshell on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, revealing that the UFC is frantically working to put together a welterweight title clash between reigning champion Leon Edwards and undefeated Chechen monster Khamzat Chimaev for the UFC 300 main event.
After making a series of fast and furious announcements regarding April 13th’s massive landmark event in Las Vegas, UFC CEO Dana White has gone radio silent. According to Helwani, the promotion knows which fight they want to announce for the highly anticipated headliner, but securing Chimaev’s entry into the United States is becoming increasingly difficult.
“If the UFC had their way… If they could snap their fingers and make the biggest fight in their mind happen — and the fight that they’ve been working on happen — and have their say as to what is the main event for UFC 300, I think that they would make Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev. I believe when Dana White is talking bout the hurdles and the issues, I believe that’s about securing Khamzat’s ability to fight in the United States.
“This has been rumored for quite some time that he has issues coming over to the States. The last time he fought here was in Jacksonville almost two years ago. I believe that’s been part of the holdup. If they can’t secure that matchup, I believe they would look at Khamzat vs. [Dricus Du Plessis], but I think the top choice is Leon vs. Khamzat.”
Ariel Helwani: I think that the top choice is Leon vs. Khamzat. This could all fizzle out and I think we'll find out in the next few days. But I believe that is the top choice at the moment.
I also believe those other 3 fights are at play as well. Leon/Belal, Izzy/DDP and… pic.twitter.com/rikpr2Chze
Chimaev’s struggles to obtain a temporary work visa could be related to his close relationship with the Head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov. Frequently employing totalitarian and repressive tactics in his rule, Kadyrov has come under criticism for a wide array of human rights abuses, including forced disappearance, torture, assassinations, and anti-gay purges in his country. He has also played a role in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The UFC is circling multiple potential headliners for April 13
Depending on how things play out with Khamzat Chimaev, the UFC has a few contingency plans in place according to Helwani. Aside from the heavily rumored middleweight title tilt between the newly crowned king of the division — Dricus Du Plessis — and former two-time champ Israel Adesanya, the UFC is also keeping a potential 170-pound showdown between Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad in its back pocket.
We will go out on a limb and say that Edwards vs. Muhammad is likely the least enticing option for both the promotion and the fans. Of course, the prospect of Khamzat Chimaev’s return to welterweight will certainly raise some eyebrows. After all, the last time he was scheduled to compete in the weight class, he stepped on the scale eight pounds over the limit.
Which potential headliner would you most be excited to see at UFC 300?
Dricus du Plessis claims that while competing at a monumental UFC 300 card in April – the newly-minted middleweight…
Dricus du Plessis claims that while competing at a monumental UFC 300 card in April – the newly-minted middleweight kingpin has no interest in potentially landing a bout with Israel Adesanya as soon as the event, particularly if he’s going to be fighting potentially compromised.
du Plessis, the newly-crowned undisputed middleweight champion, headlined UFC 297 just last month in Canada, narrowly edging out then-champion, Sean Strickland in his first championship fight under the promotion’s banner, landing the undisputed title.
Dricus du Plessis unsure of UFC 300 fight with Israel Adesanya
However, for himself, Pretoria native, du Plessis claimed that while a spot on the massive pay-per-view card in April would be huge for him, he won’t consider fighting at UFC 300 against Adesanya if he is not fully, one hundred percent recovered from his clash with Strickland.
“I think UFC 300 is obviously going to be a milestone event,” Dricus du Plessis told Jacaranda FM during a recent interview. “I think it’s going to be great. Every time you have the UFC 100, UFC 200, and now UFC 300 – all are massive events and the pay-per-views are insane, it’s a massive hype, and I would love to be part of that.”
“But, not if it’s going to mean that I’m not going to be fully recovered,” Dricus du Plessis continued. “Defending my title is much more important to me than being on this milestone event. The real milestone event will be UFC in Africa, and more importantly, South Africa. I can’t even explain to you how long I’ll be willing to wait to make that happen and defend my belt on home soil. That’s history. UFC 300 is just a number. It’s not as massive as UFC Africa.”
Do you think Dricus du Plessis x Israel Adesanya headlines a UFC Africa card?
Dricus du Plessis claims that while competing at a monumental UFC 300 card in April – the newly-minted middleweight…
Dricus du Plessis claims that while competing at a monumental UFC 300 card in April – the newly-minted middleweight kingpin has no interest in potentially landing a bout with Israel Adesanya as soon as the event, particularly if he’s going to be fighting potentially compromised.
du Plessis, the newly-crowned undisputed middleweight champion, headlined UFC 297 just last month in Canada, narrowly edging out then-champion, Sean Strickland in his first championship fight under the promotion’s banner, landing the undisputed title.
Dricus du Plessis unsure of UFC 300 fight with Israel Adesanya
However, for himself, Pretoria native, du Plessis claimed that while a spot on the massive pay-per-view card in April would be huge for him, he won’t consider fighting at UFC 300 against Adesanya if he is not fully, one hundred percent recovered from his clash with Strickland.
“I think UFC 300 is obviously going to be a milestone event,” Dricus du Plessis told Jacaranda FM during a recent interview. “I think it’s going to be great. Every time you have the UFC 100, UFC 200, and now UFC 300 – all are massive events and the pay-per-views are insane, it’s a massive hype, and I would love to be part of that.”
“But, not if it’s going to mean that I’m not going to be fully recovered,” Dricus du Plessis continued. “Defending my title is much more important to me than being on this milestone event. The real milestone event will be UFC in Africa, and more importantly, South Africa. I can’t even explain to you how long I’ll be willing to wait to make that happen and defend my belt on home soil. That’s history. UFC 300 is just a number. It’s not as massive as UFC Africa.”
Do you think Dricus du Plessis x Israel Adesanya headlines a UFC Africa card?
Former undisputed middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker claims that if he fights newly-crowned divisional titleholder, Dricus du Plessis in a…
Former undisputed middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker claims that if he fights newly-crowned divisional titleholder, Dricus du Plessis in a rematch after his return to the Octagon at UFC 298 this month, he will avenge his loss to the South African.
Whittaker, a former undisputed middleweight champion and perennial contender at the weight class, has been sidelined since he featured against the Pretoria native in an officially billed title eliminator back in July of last year during International Fight Week.
Suffering his first loss in the division to a fighter other than two-time foe, fellow former kingpin, Israel Adesanya, Whittaker was stopped with a flurry of second round ground strikes following a knockdown for a TKO blemish.
Robert Whittaker eyes rematch with Dricus du Plessis
And drawing former title challenger, Paulo Costa in two weeks’ time at UFC 298 in Anaheim, Whittaker, who vowed to severely “hurt” the Brazilian in their pivotal clash, and when reflecting on his matchup with du Plessis las summer, claimed if they fought again – he beats him nine times out of 10.
“Dricus (du Plessis) is a hungry guy, and I think I underestimated that hunger,” Robert Whittaker told assembled media at a UFC 298 press event in Sydney. “I still believe I beat him nine times out of 10, I still believe that I’m a better fighter than he is, that I have a better skill set than he does, but [fighting] a big, strong, hungry guy that’s willing to leave it all in there, you need to match that. I feel like I didn’t do that in that last fight and it really made me think a little bit.”
With April’s monumental UFC 300 card still without an official headliner, a host of floated matchups have been tossed…
Ariel Helwani dropped a potential bombshell on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, revealing that the UFC is frantically…
Dricus du Plessis claims that while competing at a monumental UFC 300 card in April – the newly-minted middleweight…
Former undisputed middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker claims that if he fights newly-crowned divisional titleholder, Dricus du Plessis in a…