It looks like the clash of Africans won’t come to be. In a recent video uploaded by UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya to Twitter, “The Last Stylebender” accused Dricus Du Plessis of bailing on UFC 293.
Adesanya is rumored to headline the event in Sydney, Australia, for his next title defense, and Du Plessis’ thunderous knockout win over Robert Whittaker was supposed to send him straight to a title shot.
Dricus Du Plessis PULLS OUT Of UFC Title Fight, Israel Adesanya Names Replacement
Instead, Adesanya will find himself facing a very different opponent. “I don’t even know how to start this, but ‘Dricus du P****,’ you f****** b****. [Du Plessis said], ‘Oh, all he had to do is put some gloves [on], I was ready to go again.’ No, you weren’t, you’re a b****.
That’s why you’re not taking this fight. Your foot’s sore. mN****, my knee was jacked, too, from my last fight. Guess what I did? I showed up, because that’s what a f****** champion does.
Championship-caliber, built different. A lot of you fighters talk about, ‘Oh I’ll fight anyone, anywhere, anytime.’ No, you won’t. I do. Alex Volkanovski does. We’re built different.
I’m at the gym right now, about to get some work. So, I’m fighting in Sydney. I don’t give a f*** who. ‘D***less du P****,’ ha-had, d***less, f*** off. You’re out.
Strickland, you’re in, let’s do the man-dance, show you how to really dance. But yeah, I’m just tired of all you guys talking s*** about, ‘I can fight, I can fight.’ No you can’t, you p****, you b****.”
Exit Du Plessis, enter Sean Strickland. Strickland has long been gunning for his shot at the UFC middleweight strap. Strickland’s brash persona has brought him into conflict with Adesanya in the past.
Strickland rode a six-fight winning streak into a show-stealing press conference in 2022. Although Strickland’s winning streak ended when it ran into Alex Pereira’s right hand, the pre-fight press conference saw Strickland exchanging barbs with Adesanya.
Since then, Strickland is 2-1, and has maintained his campaign of antagonism against Adesanya.
Curiously, Strickland’s streak-snapping loss came at the hands of Alex “Poatan” Pereira, who dethroned Adesanya in his next fight. “The Last Stylebender” won the immediate rematch via a highlight-reel knockout, and Pereira moved up to light heavyweight, where he’ll take on Jan Blachowicz.
Sean Strickland is unlikely to bow out of the challenge, and UFC 293 may well see itself with a massive middleweight headliner.
