Israel Adesanya is behaving like a clown, says Dricus Du Plessis

11 July 2023

Dricus du Plessis expressed his dissatisfaction with the behaviour exhibited by Israel Adesanya during the events of UFC 290, which took place on the evening of Saturday, July 8, 2023, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Du Plessis achieved the most significant victory of his career and secured a title opportunity by defeating former Middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in the second round through a technical knockout.

Additionally, he received a "Performance of the Night" bonus for his impressive stoppage victory. However, the situation took an uncomfortable turn shortly thereafter.

“I mean, you saw tonight I’m prepared. I’m prepared for everything. Everything he says, anything - He’s behaving like a clown in there. You know, that’s not how a champion behaves. That’s not how a man behaves. He’s behaving like a child; conduct yourself like a champion. There’s people looking up to you, and you’re behaving like that? Nah. If that sells tickets, good for him. I’ll sell tickets my way. I’m a gentleman. I’m a man. And I’ll behave like a man,” Du Plessis noted in the interview.

Immediately following Du Plessis' triumph, the current Middleweight champion of the UFC entered the cage to engage in a face-off, resulting in an awkward and unpleasant encounter. During the post-fight press conference of UFC 290, Du Plessis criticized Adesanya for his trash-talking behaviour inside the Octagon.

While it has not been officially confirmed, there is a possibility that Adesanya vs. Du Plessis will be scheduled for UFC 293 in Sydney, Australia. The realization of this match largely depends on whether the South African fighter can sufficiently recover and prepare within the span of eight weeks to contend for the championship.