Tag: UFC 305

Israel Adesanya On What He Saw When Facing Off With ‘Pufferfish’ Dricus Du Plessis Ahead Of UFC 305: ‘This Is His First Rodeo…’ 

Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya believes Dricus Du Plessis is in uncharted territory with their upcoming matchup. The pair of rivals will headline the UFC 305 pay-per-view event in Perth, Australia, this weekend, where the RAC Arena will play host to the conclusion of over a year of bad blood between Du Plessis […]

Continue Reading Israel Adesanya On What He Saw When Facing Off With ‘Pufferfish’ Dricus Du Plessis Ahead Of UFC 305: ‘This Is His First Rodeo…’  at MMA News.

Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya believes Dricus Du Plessis is in uncharted territory with their upcoming matchup.

The pair of rivals will headline the UFC 305 pay-per-view event in Perth, Australia, this weekend, where the RAC Arena will play host to the conclusion of over a year of bad blood between Du Plessis and Adesanya.

When they were originally set to square off in 2023, “The Last Stylebender” occupied the throne at 185 pounds. But when “Stillknocks” couldn’t turn around in time for UFC 293 in Sydney, Sean Strickland took his place and shockingly dethroned Adesanya.

A victory over “Tarzan” later and the South African is back with his sights set on the Nigerian-New Zealander. This time, however, circumstances are reversed, with Du Plessis now the hunted following his crowning this past January.

With that in mind, Adesanya sees a fighter trying to act the part in an unfamiliar environment…

Adesanya On Du Plessis Showdown: ‘I’ve Been Here Before’

During a recent fight week interview with ESPN MMA, Adesanya looked ahead to his attempt to make history as the first three-time middleweight champ this weekend Down Under.

“The Last Stylebender” will be making his comeback having remained away from the cage for the 11 months since his title loss to Strickland. According to Du Plessis, his challenger no longer has the hunger and already has one foot in retirement.

But while the champ claimed to see a man trying to convince himself that he still wants to do this when staring into the eyes of Adesanya at the on-sale press conference six weeks ago, the former kingpin has turned the tables with his own conclusion.

“(I saw) a pufferfish. He was just pompous, trying to like, big himself up,” Adesanya said. “This is his first rodeo. This is not my first rodeo. I’ve been here before. I’ve defended my belt multiple times. It’s his first rodeo, so he was trying to — even at the Welcome to Country ceremony yesterday, I found it really weird how I’m listening to the elders speak and he’s trying to meme-mug me. I’m like, bro, pay respect to the original people of the land.”

Adesanya will look to prove that he’s built for these kinds of high-stakes situations by making good on his promise to make Du Plessis pay for some of his controversial past remarks.

Such a feat would only add to his legacy on MMA’s biggest stage, with his past accomplishments already leaving him as the consensus second greatest of all time at 185 pounds behind Anderson Silva.

Continue Reading Israel Adesanya On What He Saw When Facing Off With ‘Pufferfish’ Dricus Du Plessis Ahead Of UFC 305: ‘This Is His First Rodeo…’  at MMA News.

Eugene Bareman Details UFC 305 Fight Week Interaction With ‘Very Nice’ Dricus Du Plessis & Co.: ‘I Can’t Speak For Israel…’

Israel Adesanya’s coach, Eugene Bareman, recently revealed that despite the fierce animosity between “The Last Stylebender” and Dricus Du Plessis, he shares a surprisingly warm camaraderie with the UFC middleweight champion and his team. Du Plessis is set to make his inaugural title defense against Adesanya in the main event of UFC 305, taking place […]

Continue Reading Eugene Bareman Details UFC 305 Fight Week Interaction With ‘Very Nice’ Dricus Du Plessis & Co.: ‘I Can’t Speak For Israel…’ at MMA News.

Israel Adesanya’s coach, Eugene Bareman, recently revealed that despite the fierce animosity between “The Last Stylebender” and Dricus Du Plessis, he shares a surprisingly warm camaraderie with the UFC middleweight champion and his team.

Du Plessis is set to make his inaugural title defense against Adesanya in the main event of UFC 305, taking place this weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.

The tension between these middleweight powerhouses has been building for a while, and it almost reached a breaking point during their fiery altercation in the Octagon at UFC 290 in July 2023. Adesanya and Du Plessis were initially targeted to settle their differences at UFC 293 in September 2023, but “Stillknocks” was forced to withdraw due to an injury.

However, UFC 290 wasn’t the first time these rivals crossed paths in public. Back in 2016, while both were training at the Tiger Muay Thai facility in Thailand, Du Plessis accidentally collided with Adesanya. Unlike their recent heated exchanges, this hasty encounter was marked by mutual apologies rather than harsh words.

Beyond the competitive tension, the animosity between them intensified when “Stillknocks” challenged Adesanya’s African identity, questioning the legitimacy of the Nigerian-born fighter who now calls New Zealand home.

However, this discord doesn’t extend to City Kickboxing’s head coach, who maintains a positive relationship with Du Plessis…

Bareman Reveals His Unique Connection With Team Du Plessis, Distinct From Adesanya’s Experience

During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Bareman shared that he enjoys a cordial rapport with Du Plessis and his team despite their complex history with the former middleweight champion.

The esteemed MMA coach recounted first meeting the South African team during a 2016 training session at Tiger Muay Thai. At that time, they established a bond that has only deepened over the years, despite the ups and downs involving his own fighter.

I was actually there; I did some rounds and had a conversation with the boys,” Bareman said. “I was still fighting and sparring, so I remember sparring with the boys and having the video footage where he’s [Du Plessis] sparring Volk [Alexander Volkanovski] and stuff. I’m also in the room sparring somewhere else. Eventually, I got around and we sparred each other as well. Yeah, and I had conversations with them. It was really obvious that they were like brothers, and they were from South Africa, so I remember having some good, decent conversations with them. They’re a very nice team. I can’t speak for Israel, obviously; he’s got his own history, and that’s a little bit different from my history.”

Bareman further noted that he recently interacted with several members of Du Plessis’ team during UFC 305 fight week and found them to be exceptionally respectful.

“They’ve come up to me, made their way through the crowd, and said, ‘Hey Coach Bareman or Coach Eugene, how are you? Good to see you again. It’s been so long. Who would have thought after all these years, after us sparring in that little room, that we would all be in this position?’ I said, ‘Yeah, it’s absolutely amazing.’ I just wish them all the best. There’s some stuff going on, and it’s a good story, I guess. But from my experience back then and now, they’re good people.”

It remains highly uncertain whether Adesanya and Du Plessis will put their bad blood to rest after their fight. However, one thing is certain: the showdown is set to deliver an electrifying spectacle for fans, fueled by the deep-seated rivalry between the two fighters.

Continue Reading Eugene Bareman Details UFC 305 Fight Week Interaction With ‘Very Nice’ Dricus Du Plessis & Co.: ‘I Can’t Speak For Israel…’ at MMA News.

Daniel Cormier on Bad Blood UFC 305 Main Event: ‘Those guys hate each other’ – Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya

Daniel Cormier on Bad Blood UFC 305 Main Event: 'Those guys hate each other' - Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel AdesanyaDaniel Cormier loves the bad blood between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya On Saturday night, the UFC returns…

Daniel Cormier on Bad Blood UFC 305 Main Event: 'Those guys hate each other' - Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya

Daniel Cormier loves the bad blood between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya

On Saturday night, the UFC returns to Perth, Australia with a loaded pay-per-view offering punctuated by a massive middleweight title clash. Du Plessis, the promotion’s reigning 185-pound king, will put his crown on the line for the first time against a man ready to claim it for a third time, Israel Adesanya.

Israel Adesanya vs. Dricus Du Plessis

It’s been more than a year since ‘DDP’ and Adesanya engaged in a racially charged face-off at UFC 290, but it’s clear that neither one’s disdain for the other has dwindled.

Discussing their upcoming title clash, Cormier suggested that ‘The Last Stylebender’ was smart to take the last year off after earning a reputation for being one of the most active champions in UFC history.

“I honestly don’t hate that he took some time off,” Cormier said on the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer. “They were riding this dude so hard. He was riding so hot, for so long.

“I remember right after he lost to Sean Strickland, I posted a picture of the amount of fights he had headlined. I thought to myself, this dude needs a break. It’s not bad that he took some time off. He was fighting a lot. Like, a lot. He was fighting a lot. I don’t know if anyone’s been as active” (h/t MMA Fighting).

Last summer, Adesanya and Du Plessis appeared to be on a collision course, but those plans were briefly derailed when Sean Strickland delivered a lights-out performance against the ‘Stylebender’ at UFC 293, taking the middleweight title with him back to Las Vegas.

In the aftermatch Adesanya opted to take some time off and reassess.

Israel Adesanya vs. Sean Strickland

But when Du Plessis snatched the title away from Strickland just four months later, Adesanya knew it was time to start preparing for a comeback.

The heated rivalry between Du Plessis, who hails from South Africa, and Adesanya can be traced back to comments ‘Stillknocks’ made last year when he claimed that he would be the UFC’s first true African world champion. The comment rubbed Adesanya, who was born in Nigeria, the wrong way, leading to their heated exchange inside the Octagon last summer.

“He don’t want to lose to that dude,” Cormier said of Adesanya. “He don’t want to lose to Dricus. I love how intense it gets between these guys. I like bad blood fights. That’s my thing. I’m not going to lie to you, I love when it’s a bad blood fight, and this one has all the sh*t that I love. Those guys hate each other.”

du plessis adesanya ufc 305 face off stare down

Daniel Cormier says it’s up to Adesanya to prove he still has what it takes to compete

Though Adesanya is, in the eyes of many, the promotion’s greatest middleweight champion of all time, Du Plessis remains convinced that the former two-time titleholder’s best days are behind him.

Whether or not that’s true is entirely up to the 35-year-old ‘Stylebender’ as he looks to make history by becoming the first-ever three-time middleweight champion at UFC 305.

“I think Dricus is almost betting on him not being [the same guy he was before],” Cormier said. “He said it on Countdown. He said, ‘He’s a tremendous fighter but his light is dimming … his light is dimming if it isn’t completely out [already].’ F*cking Dricus du Plessis said that about Izzy.”

“It’s on Izzy to show that’s not the case. It’s [up to him to say], ‘I’m still here and I’m still the man.”

Israel Adesanya reacts as Sean Strickland confirmed as number one contender after UFC 305: ‘I like it’

Israel Adesanya reacts as Sean Strickland confirmed as number one contender after UFC 305: 'I like it'Slated to headline UFC 305 this weekend in a title grudge match with arch-rival, Dricus du Plessis, former two-time…

Israel Adesanya reacts as Sean Strickland confirmed as number one contender after UFC 305: 'I like it'

Slated to headline UFC 305 this weekend in a title grudge match with arch-rival, Dricus du Plessis, former two-time middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya claims he “likes” the idea of a rematch with Sean Strickland – who was confirmed as the number one contender to the throne by Dana White overnight.

Adesanya, a former two-time undisputed middleweight gold holder, has been out of action since he took on the outspoken, Strickland back in September of last year ‘Downunder’ – losing his title in a stunning unanimous decision loss to the massive underdog.

Israel Adesanya likes the idea of facing Sean Strickland after UFC 305

And taking on promotional-perfect star, du Plessis this weekend in Australia, former two-time champion, Adesanya appears most definitely receptive to news that the victor of the UFC 305 headliner will face off with Strickland, in a bid to avenge just his second defeat at the 185lbs limit.

87963523136

“Oh, really?” Israel Adesanya asked The Mac Life when he learned of Sean Strickland’s status as number one contender after UFC 305. “Ok, cool. That’s nice, I didn’t think the UFC would announce it [who the number one contender is] like that but I thought maybe (Robert) Whittaker versus Khamzat (Chimaev).”

“I have to think about it – I like it,” Israel Adesanya claimed. “I don’t mind it, I like it. Cool.”

Israel Adesanya Fights
Image via: Getty

Slated to land himself a rematch against either Adesanya or du Plessis ahead of UFC 305, Strickland dropped the undisputed middleweight crown against the Pretoria native back in January of this year in Canada, in a controversial split decision loss – which he has been vocal about since.

Israel Adesanya Next Fight

Returning to winning ways at UFC 302 back in May, Strickland turned in an impressive decision win over former title challenger, Paulo Costa in Newark, New Jersey. 

Israel Adesanya reacts as Sean Strickland confirmed as number one contender after UFC 305: ‘I like it’

Israel Adesanya reacts as Sean Strickland confirmed as number one contender after UFC 305: 'I like it'Slated to headline UFC 305 this weekend in a title grudge match with arch-rival, Dricus du Plessis, former two-time…

Israel Adesanya reacts as Sean Strickland confirmed as number one contender after UFC 305: 'I like it'

Slated to headline UFC 305 this weekend in a title grudge match with arch-rival, Dricus du Plessis, former two-time middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya claims he “likes” the idea of a rematch with Sean Strickland – who was confirmed as the number one contender to the throne by Dana White overnight.

Adesanya, a former two-time undisputed middleweight gold holder, has been out of action since he took on the outspoken, Strickland back in September of last year ‘Downunder’ – losing his title in a stunning unanimous decision loss to the massive underdog.

Israel Adesanya likes the idea of facing Sean Strickland after UFC 305

And taking on promotional-perfect star, du Plessis this weekend in Australia, former two-time champion, Adesanya appears most definitely receptive to news that the victor of the UFC 305 headliner will face off with Strickland, in a bid to avenge just his second defeat at the 185lbs limit.

87963523136

“Oh, really?” Israel Adesanya asked The Mac Life when he learned of Sean Strickland’s status as number one contender after UFC 305. “Ok, cool. That’s nice, I didn’t think the UFC would announce it [who the number one contender is] like that but I thought maybe (Robert) Whittaker versus Khamzat (Chimaev).”

“I have to think about it – I like it,” Israel Adesanya claimed. “I don’t mind it, I like it. Cool.”

Israel Adesanya Fights
Image via: Getty

Slated to land himself a rematch against either Adesanya or du Plessis ahead of UFC 305, Strickland dropped the undisputed middleweight crown against the Pretoria native back in January of this year in Canada, in a controversial split decision loss – which he has been vocal about since.

Israel Adesanya Next Fight

Returning to winning ways at UFC 302 back in May, Strickland turned in an impressive decision win over former title challenger, Paulo Costa in Newark, New Jersey. 

UFC Full Fight: Relive Mateusz Gamrot’s Win Over Top Contender Arman Tsarukyan Ahead Of UFC 305

UFC 305 fighter Mateusz Gamrot broke into contention in the lightweight division by emerging from a high-level main event with his hand raised just over two years ago. The #5-ranked contender at 155 pounds will return on the main card of this weekend’s pay-per-view event at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, where he’s tasked with getting […]

Continue Reading UFC Full Fight: Relive Mateusz Gamrot’s Win Over Top Contender Arman Tsarukyan Ahead Of UFC 305 at MMA News.

UFC 305 fighter Mateusz Gamrot broke into contention in the lightweight division by emerging from a high-level main event with his hand raised just over two years ago.

The #5-ranked contender at 155 pounds will return on the main card of this weekend’s pay-per-view event at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, where he’s tasked with getting the better of Dan Hooker if he’s to make it four wins on the bounce and maintain his position in the title picture.

Before a defeat to Beneil Dariush stalled his surge toward the top, “Gamer” established himself high up the division by getting the better of memorable UFC Fight Night main event opposite Arman Tsarukyan, who has since risen to #1 in the rankings.

The pair of European standouts battled it out across a competitive five rounds of action inside the Apex, with the Polish fighter ultimately falling on the right side of all three scorecards.

Ahead of Saturday’s event, the promotion has released the full Gamrot vs. Tsarukyan fight from UFC Vegas 57 on its official YouTube channel.

Gamrot will hope to similarly impress with his performance this weekend and stake his claim for a first-time shot at the lightweight title.

Having come under criticism for his control-heavy style in recent times, “Gamer” has acknowledged the need to deliver fireworks with his display opposite Hooker if he’s to secure a more favorable position in the “politics” that decide championship opportunities in the UFC.

Continue Reading UFC Full Fight: Relive Mateusz Gamrot’s Win Over Top Contender Arman Tsarukyan Ahead Of UFC 305 at MMA News.