Israel Adesanya claims Dricus du Plessis could miss out on UFC title fight: ‘He’s not calling the shots, I am’
Undisputed middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya has claimed that surging number one contender, Dricus du Plessis may, in fact, miss out a championship fight when he makes his Octagon return – insisting it is he, not the South African, who is “calling the shots”.
Adesanya, a two-time and incumbent undisputed middleweight champion, is slated to make his return to the Octagon at UFC 293 in September in Sydney, Australia – taking on the streaking Sean Strickland in a return ‘Down Under’.
Winning undisputed gold for the second time in his promotional tenure at UFC 287 back in April, Adesanya managed to avenge a prior knockout loss to arch-rival, Alex Pereira with a thunderous second round KO of the Brazilian in Miami, Florida.
And following recent comments from Adesanya’s head coach, Eugene Bareman, which appeared to suggest that the number one ranked, du Plessis may miss out on a grudge match with his trainee in his return from injury, Adesanya has himself stated the same.
Israel Adesanya claims Dricus du Plessis could miss out on a title grudge match
According to Adesanya, the winner of a planned UFC 294 co-headliner between the undefeated, Khamzat Chimaev, and former title challenger, Paulo Costa – could “definitely” minte themselves as the next challenger post-Strickland.
“Definitely,” Israel Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “But again, I do wanna fight Dricus (du Plessis). But he has to know, he’s not calling the shots here.”
“That’s the thing, I am,” Israel Adesanya explained. “So, again, ‘My foot was this, my foot was that.’ Yeah – we’ll see.” (Transcribed by MMA News)
Earning the number one rank in the middleweight pile last month during International Fight Week, du Plessis defeated former undisputed champion, Robert Whittaker with a stunning second round ground strikes TKO win, before facing off with Adesanya in a heated staredown inside the Octagon.
