UFC champ Israel Adesanya rips Dricus du Plessis, offers to fight Sean Strickland

All signs were pointing to UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya defending his belt at UFC 293 opposite highly touted South African fighter Dricus du Plessis. That may have been blown apart, as Adesanya published a social media video ripping into du Plessis for apparently pulling out because of a sore foot.

Having defeated Robert Whittaker, du Plessis was planned to be the next challenger to Adesanya at UFC 293 on Sept. 10 in Syndey, but finalization of that fight has yet to happen. That may be because of Adesanya’s accusation that du Plessis is injured.

“I don’t even know how to start this, but ‘Dricus du P****,’ you f**king b*tch. ‘All he had to do is put some gloves (on). I was ready to go again.’ No you weren’t. You’re a b*tch. That’s why you’re not taking this fight. Your foot is sore,” Adesanya said in the profanity laced tirade.

“Ni**er, my knee was jacked, too, from my last fight. Guess what I did? I showed up. Because that’s what a f**king champion does. Championship caliber (is) built different,” he continued.

“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.”

Could Sean Strickland challenge Israel Adesanya at UFC 293?

After unloading on du Plessis, Adesanya pointed to middleweight contender Sean Strickland to step in and fight him at UFC 293. 

“(du Plessis), you’re out. Strickland, you’re in. Let’s do the man dance, show how to really dance.”

Adesanya recently regained his title by taking it back from Alex Pereira in their immediate rematch at UFC 287. Pereira was Adesanya’s first blemish as UFC middleweight champion when he lost the belt to him in their previous fight at UFC 281.

Strickland, meanwhile, has steadily climbed the ranks. He put himself in a position to at least be the back-up to Adesanya vs. du Plessis by bouncing back from a narrow decision loss to Jared Cannonier with back-to-back wins over Nassourdine Imavov and Abus Magomedov.

But if Adesanya’s rant holds true and the du Plessis fight is indeed off, UFC officials may have no choice but to insert either Strickland or Cannonier into the bout. They’d certainly like to keep Adesanya, a Nigerian born New Zealander, at the top of the UFC 293 fight card in Sydney.

Israel Adesanya’s not-safe-for-work rant, shredding Dricus du Plessis

Dickless DuPussay. pic.twitter.com/UQwRF2a5tU

— Israel Adesanya (@stylebender) July 20, 2023