"Can get a hiding in Africa" - Dricus du Plessis takes nasty dig at 'amateur' Israel Adesanya, calls for title fight against Sean Strickland
Israel Adesanya had a well-crafted plan to navigate past Sean Strickland and potentially set the stage for a showdown with Dricus du Plessis to settle their rivalry. The feud originated from Du Plessis casting doubt on Adesanya's African heritage and his bold proclamation of becoming a champion who trains and resides in Africa.
These remarks deeply irked 'The Last Stylebender,' leading him to storm the octagon after Du Plessis' impressive victory over Robert Whittaker at UFC 290. While the stage seemed set for an immediate showdown next, the top-ranked middleweight contender couldn't make the journey to the 'land down under' for UFC 293, opening the door for Sean Strickland's maiden title shot.
Now that Strickland has pulled off a massive upset against Israel Adesanya, 'Stillknocks' has a new opponent in mind. The South African middleweight took to X (formerly Twitter) to issue a challenge to Strickland while also taking a subtle dig at Israel Adesanya's recent performance. Du Plessis wrote:
"Me & @SStricklandMMA had the biggest upsets of 2023 so let’s settle this like men I’m ready. After that @stylebender can get a hiding in Africa I don’t want to fight the amateur that fought on [Saturday] I want to beat the best Adesanya, take some time and get your sh*t together first."
Check out Du Plessis' message below:
What did Dana White say about Dricus du Plessis turning down a fight against Israel Adesanya at UFC 293?
Dana White's stance is quite clear when it comes to fighters who decline significant championship opportunities. He places a premium on consistency and fighter activity, making his stance evident in the wake of Sean Strickland's upset victory over Israel Adesanya at UFC 293.
White cast a shadow of disapproval over the No.1-ranked middleweight contender Dricus du Plessis getting the title shot next. Israel Adesanya entered the bout as a massive -650 favorite, with widespread expectations of a dominant performance against Strickland. Yet, mirroring Du Plessis' shocking triumph over Robert Whittaker at UFC 290, Strickland managed to pull off a monumental upset.
Du Plessis's victory over Whittaker had solidified his position as the next challenger for the middleweight throne. However, according to 'Stillknocks,' he had entered the fight against Whittaker nursing an injury and opted to decline the opportunity to face Adesanya at UFC 293 to allow time for recovery.
Dana White spoke in length about whether Du Plessis will get an immediate title shot following UFC 293. He stated:
"[Strickland] came into hostile territory, the whole world talking s**t about him. The whole world saying he couldn't do it. A 7/1 underdog, and came in and almost finished [Adesanya] in the first round."
He added:
"So, everything that we're talking about right now about how crazy this sport is, when opportunities arise, you jump on them and you take them. You should never turn down fights when you get the call, especially if it's for a world title."
Watch the video below from 2:45: