“People want that fight,” Dricus Du Plessis updates on plans for 2024 after rumors of fighting against Israel Adesanya

Dricus Du Plessis won the middleweight title at UFC 297. He went toe-to-toe with the fan-favorite Sean Strickland and clinched the victory in a razor-close split decision. Soon, he called out the former champion Israel Adesanya, whom he almost fought at UFC 293. Now, he persisted with the matchup and detailed his plans for 2024.

In an interview with The Hustles CSA, Dricus Du Plessis revealed he was recovering from a few injuries. He didn’t want to rush his next fight like he did while rising through the ranks. He wanted to take his time and compete twice more this year. As such, he expressed interest in taking on Israel Adesanya next and challenged him to accept a showdown in South Africa. Here is what he said:

I think Israel Adesanya is going to be my next fight. That's the one. I want that fight, the people want that fight. In an ideal world, we want that on home soil. 

Dricus Du Plessis (Via The Hustles CSA)

Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya share an intense rivalry even without fighting each other. They shared a fiery face-off at UFC 290 after the South African’s win over former champion Robert Whittaker. Adesanya repeatedly insulted Du Plessis with a racial slur. With this animosity and both men hailing from Africa, this fight would serve as the fitting main event for the UFC’s inaugural event in Africa. They were in discussion to headline UFC 300, but it didn’t materialize.

Earlier, the two men almost clashed at UFC 293. However, the fight was canceled after Dricus Du Plessis could not make a quick turnaround. This led Sean Strickland to spoil the party with his upset win over ‘The Last Stylebender.’ Now, with Du Plessis as the champion and Adesanya as the challenger, the tables have turned, and the rivalry has intensified.

Does Dricus Du Plessis have a better track record as a champion than Israel Adesanya outside of MMA?

MMA Fighters take pride in representing their country at the global level. They share their victory with their countrymen and rejoice in it. As such, Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya are no different. However, despite being born on the same continent, Adesanya didn’t seem inclusive of the South African fighter. His racial remarks during their face-off outbursted this factor.

‘The Last Stylebender’ has a unique character that is both welcoming and controversial. While no one can question Israel Adesanya’s skills inside the octagon, he is flawed like any other human being outside. Even recently, he was caught for driving under the influence.

Some of his antics and trash-talks were heavily scrutinized. This opened up a window for Dricus Du Plessis to outshine the African star. Also, the South African hasn’t found himself in such controversies, except for the brawl at UFC 296, which he didn’t initiate.

Competitively, Adesanya stayed ahead of the current champion and shined as an example. However, he does not have a better track record outside the octagon. Only time will tell if Du Plessis can match Israel Adesanya’s competitive track record.

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