Dricus du Plessis discusses "absolute banger of a fight" against Israel Adesanya, vows to bring chaos at UFC 305
Dricus du Plessis aims to break new ground by making the first defense of his middleweight throne at UFC 305. He couldn't have asked for a better opponent than Israel Adesanya, considering their brimming rivalry and the accolades of his foe.
The pair is scheduled to lock horns on Aug. 17, 2024, at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. Besides having all the ingredients for a competitive duel, the tension between the fighters, stemming from du Plessis' comments, makes for an interesting narrative.
Previewing the upcoming clash in an interview with Submission Radio, Du Plessis delivered the promise of fireworks and highlighted the drive to "prove a point." He said [H/T bjpenn.com]:
“I have no doubt in my mind that this fight is going to be an absolute banger of a fight. Like I said, I’ve never been in a boring fight and I know he has been, but not with me. When you’re in that octagon with me, there’s no way it’s a boring fight because I will be coming and trying to take your head off for 25 minutes."
He added:
“At the end of the day, I’m coming to finish you know, I didn’t get a finish in my last fight. I only had two decisions in my career, and that’s more than enough. Both decisions were incredible wars. I’m happy with that. But I’m coming to finish. I’m coming to prove a point and I’m coming to do it in spectacular fashion.”
Catch Du Plessis' comments below (4:00):
'Stillknocks' triggered the wrath of Adesanya during his climb to the top of the middleweight pile. He questioned the legitimacy of 'The Last Stylebender' as an African champion since the 34-year-old achieved the feat by training in the City Kickboxing facility in New Zealand.
Israel Adesanya previews upcoming clash against Dricus du Plessis
Two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya recognizes that there's an added sting in the upcoming clash against Dricus du Plessis.
'The Last Stylebender's' last assignment didn't go as planned, dropping a unanimous decision and the middleweight crown to Sean Strickland at UFC 293. At UFC 305, against Du Plessis, Adesanya is chasing something more than just the championship gold.
The 34-year-old wants to script highlight reel-worthy moments in the time that he has left inside the octagon. Previewing the upcoming clash in an interview with The New Zealand Herald, Adesanya stated:
“Right now, everything is focused on Dricus... I’m not the same person I was the last time you guys saw me in the cage, so I just want to be in the moment. When I was coming up, I was always planning shit and looking into the future, but now I’m trying to stay in the present more. That’s where I’m at in my career.”