UFC 305: Emotionally Charged Clash Between Du Plessis and Adesanya

By
Gabriel Gonzalez
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Israel Adesanya, UFC 276
Israel Adesanya, UFC 276 Ceremonial Weigh-Ins. Credit: Alex Behunin/CagesidePress

After a war of words not seen since Khabib vs McGregor, Dricus Du Plessis will finally face Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title at UFC 305.

For as much as has been said, reigning UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis has once again elicited a reaction from his bold foe.  The native of South Africa has seemingly been on a collision course with Adesanya for years, with comments that appeared to diminish the significance of he and the other African born former UFC champions bringing world titles to the continent.  It has led to an emotionally charged build up, with the subtle shots becoming all the more personal as the fight has gotten closer.  At the press conference this week, his comments even brought out an emotional reaction from his upcoming foe.

“Stillknocks” has all the reason to be the composed individual he’s shown himself to be in the build up.  A former champion in the Polish promotion KSW, Du Plessis joined the UFC in 2020 and almost immediately found himself receiving primetime exposure with all of his bouts save for his promotional debut taking place on the undercards of tentpole pay-per-view events in Las Vegas.  He tore a path quickly through the middleweight division, besting veterans such as Derek Brunson, Darren Till, and Brad Tavares to break into contention.  This led to his breakout performance, a second round knockout of former champion Robert Whittaker.  That fight earned him his title shot against Sean Strickland earlier this year where Du Plessis was awarded the decision in a competitive bout to win the UFC belt.

Saturday marks the return of a proven superstar in Israel Adesanya.  Nearly a year removed since his last bout, “The Last Stylebender” has returned stating he’s refreshed and reinvigorated after a strenuous schedule as a title holder for several years.  But while he’s already cemented his place amongst the best in UFC middleweight history, and in combat sports in general, the last two years have been out of the ordinary.  Usually so used to success, Adesanya has gone 1-2 in his last three fights, avenging his loss to now light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira but then subsequently losing the title again to Strickland.  A loss to Du Plessis would put him at an unenviable 1-3 mark, something most would have thought to be inconceivable just a short while ago when he seemed to be on the verge of a sweep of the division.

More than the athletic challenges facing him, however, are the mental ones.  Returning to the win-column is pressure enough in itself, but he has also found himself in an even more high pressure situation with the personal statements he and Du Plessis have made towards each other.  He has all the world to gain by besting his foe and regaining the title, particularly with the opponents expected to be available for the winner.  But a setback in this moment would also put him on the outside looking in at the title picture.

The winner of this fight would seem to have their next opponent already lined up, but there could be some changes in the future.  Sean Strickland has already been named by UFC CEO Dana White as the number one contender, and the nature of his loss to Du Plessis and the storyline of Adesanya attempting to avenge his loss would make the fight an easy sell.  However, the winner of the upcoming fight between Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev could also find themselves in the picture as a second attempt at Du Plessis for Whittaker could be more enticing for the promotion to book as would be a title fight featuring the electrifying Chimaev against either man.

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