For the first time since losing his title to Sean Strickland last year, Nigeria-born New Zealand-based UFC fighter, Israel Adesanya, is set return to the ring.

Adesanya, a middleweight contender and champion Dricus du Plessis took time off to break down controversies surrounding their long time rivalry ahead of the clash at UFC 305 on August 17, 2024. The fight marks Adesanya’s attempt to reclaim the title he lost to Sean Strickland last year.

The animosity between Adesanya and Du Plessis stemmed from comments made by the latter in 2023. ‘Stillknocks’ argued that fighters like Adesanya, Kamaru Usman, and Francis Ngannou shouldn’t be considered “African champions” since they train and live elsewhere.

This viewpoint irked Adesanya, the Stylebender, who believes Du Plessis is downplaying their achievements.In the recent UFC 305 presser, Adesanya criticized Du Plessis’ stance, saying: “He tried to discredit the three kings and say that he is the real true African champion, and I was like, ‘It’s a weird mindset, bro, like, he came into the UFC, I knew who he was a little bit. But I didn’t go over the f*** this fake dude coming in.’

“I just, so cool, he’s not African in the UFC. But then him discrediting me, Francis Ngannou, Kamaru Usman, that took me off a little bit. So, that’s what started this. But again, I’ll finish it.”

Du Plessis, however, maintained he wasn’t disrespectful, simply “stating facts.” He said: “And as far as discrediting, never discredited anybody. Stating facts. Where do I reside? What’s my postal code? Where do I train? Where do I live, where was I born? In South Africa. Still there. Still training. And I want this belt from South Africa. I didn’t try anywhere else. That was the only thing I stated. So, never discredited anybody. Quite frankly, I don’t really care about how it rubbed him off the wrong way. I don’t, I don’t care.”

The South African sees his upcoming fight with Adesanya as a chance to solidify himself among the UFC middleweight division’s all-time greats.

Adesanya, a former champion himself, boasts a decorated career within the weight class. Du Plessis, while acknowledging the same, emphasised the fight’s significance for his own legacy:

“I’m fighting against arguably one of the greatest middleweights ever, and I have to go out there and prove that I am that guy. That’s what this fight is going to mean to me. It’s going to mean I told you I belong here. This fight is going to mean that Dricus du Plessis is now in the conversation of being one of the greatest middleweights ever.”

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