Dricus du Plessis admires Israel Adesanya as a fighter but isn't pleased with his promotional approach
Reigning UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis commends the fighter in Israel Adesanya, but has qualms about how he carries himself.
Ahead of their clash at UFC 305 in Perth this weekend, the fighters gathered for the pre-fight press conference, during which the champion was questioned about his alleged dislike for Adesanya, given the Nigerian-born Kiwi's well-known beef.
The 30-year-old acknowledges the prowess of the former champion but contends with the words he often chooses:
"On a personal note, I don’t know Israel Adesanya. What he says, I don’t like, and uh, you know, the way he approached the whole thing, this whole fight, that was busy being made, I don’t like it, at all. When it comes to as a fighter, the man is great, he’s done great things."
He added:
"It’s just time for me take over, like I have, and that’s why I’m the champion of the world."
Check out Dricus Du Plessis' comments about the rivalry (1:15):
The fight has been territorial from the start, with the two exchanging words at UFC 290 attempting to undermine each other's African legitimacy.
Apart from the African landmass, this fight also decides whether the UFC 185-pound division has moved past Adesanya or will 'The Last Stylebender' make a comeback cementing his legacy.
Israel Adesanya is certain Dricus du Plessis knows what's ahead of him
Speaking to the media, Israel Adesanya stated that, after they locked eyes, Dricus du Plessis understood that the Nigerian was not someone to play with. When asked what led to the surprisingly calm presser following the intense face-off in the octagon, the 35-year-old stated:
"So, for me, I just didn’t know, I don’t know what to expect but he tried to puffer fish me but he realized pretty quickly that I’m not the one you can tryna blow smoke at and he understands, he knows who he's dealing with now."
Going into his 12th UFC title fight, 'The Last Stylebender' appeared confident that his resume trumps all in the division. He added:
"That moment right there, let him know, he got to look into my eyes and see who I am. Yeah, I don’t know what brought it on but it’s just déjà vu. I’ve been here before. I’ve battled with the best, like no one can intimidate me. No one can intimidate me and he definitely won’t do that."
Check out Israel Adesanya's comments on media day (7:34):
Dricus du Plessis, riding on a nine-fight win streak, hasn't lost a fight since 2018. Meanwhile, Israel Adesanya will be looking to reclaim his title for the third time, equalling Hall of Famer Randy Couture's legendary record.