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Dricus Du Plessis: Israel Adesanya’s Fire Is Nothing Compared to Mine

Dricus Du Plessis Israel Adesanya At UFC 305, Dricus Du Plessis will attempt to defend his UFC middleweight title for the first time. He…

At UFC 305, Dricus Du Plessis will attempt to defend his UFC middleweight title for the first time. He will face a man who dominated the division as champion for years, Israel Adesanya.

Du Plessis and Adesanya have traded barbs for years now. ‘Stillknocks’ even admits that he doesn’t like Adesanya and will surely be relishing the opportunity to earn a victory against ‘The Last Stylebender’.

“If I’m in his head, I can’t tell you. He feels the energy. I can tell you that much,” Du Plessis told SHAK MMA (H/T MMA Weekly). “I made the statement that his fire is gone, and I don’t believe that. I think the fire is still there. I just believe my fire is just; his fire is insignificant to mine.

“The passion and fire that I have in me, the passion burning, is overshadowing his. That’s why I can’t even see his fire, and I can’t feel it because the fire burning inside of me is so intense,” Dricus Du Plessis stated. “Do I think I’m in his head? Maybe not, but I do know that he’s in his own head. That’s for sure.”

Dricus Du Plessis doubts Israel Adesanya’s motivation

Obviously, Du Plessis firmly believes that his inner fire is just simply superior to that of the former champion Israel Adesanya. It has been a long time since the MMA world witnessed Adesanya in action. He last fought at UFC 293 and suffered a frustrating loss via unanimous decision at the hands of the scandalous Sean Strickland.

Since then, Adesanya has taken some seemingly much-needed time off and now has the opportunity to re-capture his lost title. The stylistic matchup between the two men is very interesting. Many would give Du Plessis the grappling edge, but only time will tell if the South African champion will be able to utilize this advantage.

Who do you think walks away victorious between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya at UFC 305?

Sean Strickland’s Coach Breaks Down Du Plessis vs. Adesanya: ‘You’re Not Gonna Find Many People That Fight Like Him…’

Sean Strickland’s coach, Eric Nicksick, recently offered insights on the upcoming title showdown between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya set for UFC 305. Du Plessis is set to make the first defense of his middleweight title in a much-awaited showdown of fierce rivalry against Adesanya, headlining the pay-per-view event on August 17 at the […]

Continue Reading Sean Strickland’s Coach Breaks Down Du Plessis vs. Adesanya: ‘You’re Not Gonna Find Many People That Fight Like Him…’ at MMA News.

Sean Strickland’s coach, Eric Nicksick, recently offered insights on the upcoming title showdown between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya set for UFC 305.

Du Plessis is set to make the first defense of his middleweight title in a much-awaited showdown of fierce rivalry against Adesanya, headlining the pay-per-view event on August 17 at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.

“Stillknocks” was originally targeted to challenge Adesanya after his impressive victory over Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 in July 2023. However, fate had other plans, as an injury sidelined the South African. In the meantime, “The Last Stylebender” suffered an unexpected defeat, losing the middleweight title to Strickland at UFC 293.

Du Plessis made a triumphant return by defeating Strickland in a razor-close split decision, clinching the 185-pound title at UFC 297 this past January. Now, the stage is perfectly set for these two adversaries to finally settle their scores in the Octagon as Adesanya gears up to make his return after an 11-month hiatus—the longest of his UFC career.

Nicksick believes that both fighters are evenly matched heading into UFC 305, but the outcome will hinge on just how much “The Last Stylebender” has sharpened his skills during his time away from the competition…

Nicksick Calls Du Plessis vs. Adesanya a ’50-50′ Battle

During a recent interview with MMAFightingonSBN, Nicksick dissected the highly anticipated clash between Du Plessis and Adesanya. The renowned MMA coach predicted that both fighters stand on equal footing with an even chance of victory. However, he emphasized that much will depend on how well the former UFC middleweight champion performs after such a lengthy hiatus from the sport.

“I kind of consider it a 50-50 coin flip, man. I really do. I’m very curious to see what type of Izzy comes back,” Nicksick said. “In a lot of ways, selfishly, I’m pulling for him because, you know, the division is much better with a talented and, you know, championship-level Israel Adesanya in the division.”

Nicksick went on to say that, based on Du Plessis’ performance against Strickland, he sees “Stillknocks” as the favorite. He noted that Du Plessis’ unorthodox style makes him a formidable challenge for Adesanya, potentially giving him the edge in this matchup.

“I really took a liking to Dricus over the last year or so. I wouldn’t say we’re close, but we’re friendly and very respectful towards one another, and I’m pulling for him in a lot of ways because I think he has been severely overlooked over the years. He’s a problem, man, and he’s only getting better. I think the way he’s starting to fight and understand who and what he is as a fighter—he’s awkward in a way like Sean is, but with more power, right? It’s hard—it’s very hard. It was very difficult for us to find particular sparring partners for Dricus’ camp. You’re not going to find many people that can fight like him.”

Du Plessis and Adesanya have been on a collision course long before their fiery face-off at UFC 290. Their upcoming showdown promises to be a captivating spectacle, as both fighters bring their own distinctive and formidable fighting styles to the table.

Read More: Coach Dismisses Outcome Of Decade-Old Sparring Session Between Adesanya & Du Plessis: ‘We’ve Heard Stories Of AJ Being Knocked Out In Boxing…’

Continue Reading Sean Strickland’s Coach Breaks Down Du Plessis vs. Adesanya: ‘You’re Not Gonna Find Many People That Fight Like Him…’ at MMA News.

Dricus du Plessis laughs off Islam Makahchev middleweight threat: ‘Everybody can dream’

Ahead of his own return at UFC 305 later this month, undisputed middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis has laughed…

Ahead of his own return at UFC 305 later this month, undisputed middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis has laughed off a potential move to his stomping ground for lightweight best, Islam Makhachev – claiming the Russian is entitled to “dream” like everybody else.

du Plessis, the current undisputed middleweight champion, headlines UFC 305 next weekend in Perth, Australia – taking on the returning former two-time titleholder, Israel Adesanya in his first defense of the divisional crown.

Winning gold back in January at UFC 297, promotional-perfect star, du Plessis turned in a controversial spiit decision win over Sean Strickland, minting himself as the undisputed middleweight champion.

Dricus du Plessis claims Islam Makhachev is dreaming too big

And ahead of his return against Adesanya in his first championship setting, du Plessis has laughed off prior claims from Makhachev’s head coach, Javier Mendez how his student is good enough to excel as high as middleweight.

“Everybody can dream, right?” Dricus du Plessis told Kevin Iole. “I always say, never cap your dreams. Dream big, but he’s (Islam Makhachev) dreaming real big. I’m very big. Of course, in this sport, everybody wants that. Especially after it’s been done. I completely understand going up to another division and fighting for another belt because here comes a stage where it makes sense and Makhachev right now, there’s people still left to fight. …”

During his run through middleweight contenders, du Plessis became the first fighter other than incoming foe, Adesanya to defeat former gold holder, Robert Whittaker – stopping the ex-champion with a stunning knockout win in their title eliminator in the summer of last year.

Prior to that, the Pretoria native stopped former welterweight title chaser, Darren Till with a third round neck crank in their high-profile pairing the December prior.

Would Dricus du Plessis vs. Islam Makhachev be a competitive fight?

Israel Adesanya Compares Dricus Du Plessis’ ‘Awkward’ Style With Former Opponent

A lot has changed since Israel Adesanya and Dricus Du Plessis first faced off inside the Octagon at UFC 290 last year. The middleweight title has been exchanged between them without them fighting inside the Octagon, but that changes at UFC 305 on August 17. At the time, Adesanya would have been considered to be […]

Continue Reading Israel Adesanya Compares Dricus Du Plessis’ ‘Awkward’ Style With Former Opponent at MMA News.

A lot has changed since Israel Adesanya and Dricus Du Plessis first faced off inside the Octagon at UFC 290 last year.

The middleweight title has been exchanged between them without them fighting inside the Octagon, but that changes at UFC 305 on August 17.

At the time, Adesanya would have been considered to be a big favorite against the challenger, even after Du Plessis stunned the MMA world by stopping Robert Whittaker.

However, the South African fighter then went on to defeat Sean Strickland for the 185-pound belt. This was after “The Last Stylebender” was convincingly beaten by the short-notice title challenger Strickland at UFC 293, making this upcoming fight very different.

One of the biggest arguments that can be made for the champion retaining the title in Perth is the awkward timing and movement that Du Plessis brings into the cage.

We saw how Strickland was able to stifle Adesanya’s offense and whilst Du Plessis may not have the same defensive ability, he’s very unpredictable.

In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, the former two-time champion said that he doesn’t expect this to be a problem for him despite “Stillknocks” presenting some issues.

He compared him to a former opponent of his in Marvin Vettori, who Adesanya has faced and beaten twice, with one added element to his game.

“A bit like Vettori to be honest but he’s just more of a risk taker than Vettori. So yeah, I don’t think I’ll have an issue dealing with what he brings but it’s the intangibles, the unknown unknowns. He takes way more risks than Vettori so that’s what makes him really dangerous.”

Israel Adesanya Says Du Plessis Fight Isn’t Personal Despite ‘Blasphemous’ Comments

This fight has had a long time to build and in that time, things have been said that likely aren’t going to be forgiven and forgotten when the dust settles.

Du Plessis’ comments about being the first African champion kicked this feud off and whilst Adesanya wants to make him pay for that, he doesn’t believe that this bout is on the same level as some of his great rivalries in the past.

“The Last Stylebender” told Mike Bohn that he won’t move past what his next opponent said but that doesn’t mean it’s personal for him.

“Nah, I haven’t even fought the guy yet. Those rivalries with Whittaker and Pereira, those are etched in history. Me and this guy haven’t even fought yet. We tried to fight, it never happened, so now we’ll fight and set the score. But nah, it’s not really personal. What he said was blasphemous cuz without myself, Francis and Kamaru, he wouldn’t be able to be champion. So, what he said was really blasphemous and he’ll take accountability for what he said.”

Continue Reading Israel Adesanya Compares Dricus Du Plessis’ ‘Awkward’ Style With Former Opponent at MMA News.

Former Fighter On Du Plessis Getting Under Adesanya’s Skin: ‘Reacts Incredibly Emotionally’

Israel Adesanya faces a new test when he returns at UFC 305 to try and reclaim the middleweight title in a fight with Dricus Du Plessis. “The Last Stylebender” has had his rivals in the past and whilst his story with Alex Pereira has defined big parts of both men’s careers, and the likes of […]

Continue Reading Former Fighter On Du Plessis Getting Under Adesanya’s Skin: ‘Reacts Incredibly Emotionally’ at MMA News.

Israel Adesanya faces a new test when he returns at UFC 305 to try and reclaim the middleweight title in a fight with Dricus Du Plessis.

“The Last Stylebender” has had his rivals in the past and whilst his story with Alex Pereira has defined big parts of both men’s careers, and the likes of Marvin Vettori and Sean Strickland weren’t big fans of his, this one is different.

No opponent has been able to bring this kind of intensity out of the former champion quite like Du Plessis has. due to his comments on bringing the title back to Africa.

This opens up the debate whether Adesanya fights best when he’s relaxed or amped up.

Megan Anderson Says That Israel Adesanya’s Emotion Could Help Or Hinder Him At UFC 305

In a recent preview video of the UFC’s return to Perth on her own YouTube channel, former UFC fighter Megan Anderson spoke about the war of words between Du Plessis and Adesanya.

Things appeared to have calmed down (a little) on this front if their most recent encounter was anything to go by but there is clearly still some tension there which could come back around on fight week.

Anderson believes that Adesanya’s previous interactions with the champion don’t paint the best image for him unless, of course, he can use this dislike of Du Plessis to raise his game another level.

“If anything has shown us, anytime these two get together, Israel reacts incredibly emotionally. He is saying things that we’ve never heard him say before, he is really just going out there and just being so incredibly passionate about this. How much of that is Dricus really revving up this whole rivalry between them and this is getting under Israel’s skin, we’re going to find out. But, whether it hurts him or helps him perform, that’s the biggest question for me.”

Continue Reading Former Fighter On Du Plessis Getting Under Adesanya’s Skin: ‘Reacts Incredibly Emotionally’ at MMA News.

Coach backs Islam Makhachev to make huge middleweight move: ‘He’s that good’

Forever staking his claim for a move to the welterweight limit prior to his friend, Belal Muhammad’s title coronation…

Forever staking his claim for a move to the welterweight limit prior to his friend, Belal Muhammad’s title coronation at UFC 304 earlier this month, lightweight best, Islam Makhachev has now been backed to excel as high as middleweight, per his coach, Javier Mendez.

Makhachev, the current undisputed lightweight champion, has been sidelined since he headlined UFC 302 back in May, successfully defending his crown for a third time in a fifth round D’Arce choke submission win against former interim gold holder, Dustin Poirier.

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And expected to return at UFC 308 in October in Abu Dhabi, Makhachev has been ruled from the event amid an arm injury, which may require a surgical procedure to address – postponing an targeted rematch with number one contender, Arman Tsarukyan.

Instead booked to headline the Etihad Arena card – undisputed featherweight kingpin, Ilia Topuria draws the former champion, Max Holloway in a title grudge fight in the Middle East.

Islam Makhachev tipped to make middleweight leap

And while calling for a title fight with Leon Edwards ahead of UFC 304, Islam Makhachev has since cooled talk of a leap to 170lbs after his close friend, Muhammad lifted the crown in Manchester – and instead, has been tipped to succeed at middleweight in a huge two-division leap.

Islam Makhachev turns down fight with Michael Chandler you are unreliable dude

“That’s a good reason to fight Arman (Tsarukyan) or anybody else any you get the most defenses in the lightweight history,” Javier Mendez told Red Corner MMA. “I can’t believe three is the record. That’s just amazing how it turns over. So many fighters have won titles there but they never kept it more than three title defenses so Islam (Makhachev) will break the record and I want to see him go down as one of the greatest of all time.”

“And I believe he’s on track to do that,” Mendez explained. “So, him defending that lightweight title is on track for that. Then after that let’s see what happens – maybe Islam gains weight and goes [to] 185 [pounds]. I mean, he’d have to gain weight, obviously, because that’s a little big for him. You never know. He’s that good. Pound-for-pound number one for a reason.”

Do you think Islam Makhachev could excel at middleweight?