The current UFC middleweight champ, Dricus Du Plessis, has materialized his words about being an African UFC champion. But his archrival, Israel Adesanya, doesn’t count him as the first-ever African to claim a UFC championship. Recently, ‘The Last Stylebender’ appeared on the latest episode of Ariel Helwani’s podcast, ‘The MMA Hour’, where he labeled Du Plessis as a “fan” of his. ‘Izzy’ also laid stress on the fact that Du Plessis could’ve never reached this position without him and the other two African UFC champions paving his way.
The snap of the former UFC champs, Kamaru Usman, Francis Ngannou, and ‘Izzy’ standing together has become iconic in the UFC. Adesanya considered Du Plessis to be a follower of the three former UFC champs showcased in the picture. This is exactly why he labeled Du Plessis as a “fan”, despite the South African viewing him as his staunch opponent. ‘Izzy’ said,
“I don’t really follow the guy, but he follows me. I think he’s actually a fan. He just has to fight me, but he’s actually a fan.”
‘Stillknocks’ gained the limelight after he sparked the “real African UFC champion” debate. However, Adesanya counted his involvement in the feud as the primary reason behind Du Plessis finally getting to the UFC middleweight championship.
Well, Du Plessis might consider himself as the “real African UFC champion” in his own words. But he hasn’t faced the Adesanya challenge yet. It might prove to be his toughest in-octagon test till date.
Will Dricus Du Plessis be able to get the better of Israel Adesanya when they fight?
The Stillknocks-Izzy feud has been going on for almost a year now. But the fight between them hasn’t materialized yet. However, the current scenario suggests that Adesanya will be Du Plessis’ rival for his next title defense.
The ongoing feud between the two is expected to add an extra layer of excitement to the fight. But ‘Izzy’s’ awesome in-octagon prowess might get the South African into severe trouble. On the flip side, Du Plessis’ superb UFC 290 and UFC 297 displays testify that he too has got enough in his tank to defend his title against Adesanya.
