Du Plessis made a successful first defence of his title at UFC 305 against Nigeria-born Israel Adesanya in Perth on Sunday.

Shortly after the fight, Pereira took to Instagram to post: “Vou descer para 84kg mais uma vez” (translation: Coming down to 185 one more time).

The 84kg / 185 pounds is in reference to the weight limit for UFC middleweight fighters.

Zuckerberg, the world’s fourth-richest man at age 40, replied to the post with “Would love to see it!”.

Zuckerberg and Pereira have somethings of a ‘bromance’ going at present and have broken the internet in recent weeks.

Alex Pereira is the current light heavyweight champion

Pereira, 37, is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and former kickboxer.

He currently competes in the light heavyweight division in the UFC where is he the champion. He is a former UFC middleweight champion.

As Du Plessis was celebrating in the octagon, Pereira began plotting to win back the belt he previously claimed by knocking out Adesanya at UFC 281 in November 2022.

Pereira then lost the belt in a rematch against Adesanya, before moving up to light heavyweight (205 pounds) and becoming a two-weight UFC champion in record time.

Predictably, MMA fans went into meltdown after seeing Pereira’s social media post.

Alex Pereira is coming off a win over former UFC champion Jiri Prochazka due to strikes in the second round of their main event at UFC 303.

UFC boss Dana White has already announced who Pereira will face next.

The UFC returns to Salt Lake City on October 5 with Pereira set to headline UFC 307 in a surprise light heavyweight title defence against Khalil Rountree Jr.

The news came as a surprise to many fans as Rountree Jr isn’t currently ranked in the top five at 205 pounds.

White is yet to comment on Pereira’s plan to drop down in weight.

Pereira will need to get by Rountree Jr before starting the process of cutting weight if he is serious about his bid to become a simultaneous two-division champion by beating Du Plessis early in 2025.

Fight at UFC 310?

In something of a twist, according to Dricus Du Plessis’s head coach Morne Visser, that possible clash between ‘Poatan’ and ‘Stillknocks’ could be closer than fans realise.

As Visser explained to Submission Radio in the immediate aftermath of the UFC 305 title win, the pair of superstars could fight before the end of 2024 – albeit on one condition.

“No, I won’t give him the joy to go down to 185; we’ll just go up… He [DDP] doesn’t want to beat him [at 185 because] he’ll say that we’ve gone down, he was fatigued and whatever so no, we’ll go up [instead].

“I’m sure that the UFC will be okay with it, if that’s what he’s said, [and] I know Dricus is game, so we’ll go up – we won’t wait for him to come down.”

Visser sees a potential path to a second belt coming into view as soon as December’s UFC 310 card in Las Vegas.

“He’s fighting in October, so I really hope that the UFC gives us this blessing for December.”

“We were criticised a few times for Dricus saying no [to fights] because of injuries in the past, this fight was supposed to happen earlier… Don’t ask me what the gameplan will be for Alex but if it’s December, we’ll be ready.”

Watch this space!

It was the 30-year-old Pretoria-born Du Plessis’s first defence of his title which he won in a split decision victory over Sean Strickland in Canada in January this year.

Biggest pay day of Dricus du Plessis’s career

Heading into the bout in Australia, Du Plessis was reportedly guaranteed $500 000 in base pay and an extra $42 000 in sponsorships.

In addition, the winner was set to double their base pay – excluding pay-per-view (PPV) points.

Neither Du Plessis nor Adesanya were awarded a Performance of the Night bonus nor was their clash declared Fight of the Night.

New Zealand’s Kai Kara-France (for his first round win over Australia’s Steve Erceg) and Brazil’s Carlos Prates (for his second round victory over China’s Li Jingliang) were awarded $50 000 Performance of the Night bonuses.

Fight of the Night went to the bout between New Zealand’s Dan Hooker and Poland’s Mateusz Gamrot which Hooker won via split decision, earning both fighters a $50 000 bonus.

That meant that Du Plessis was expected to walk away with nearly R19 million in a whopping pay day, the biggest of his career to date.

In the main event of UFC 305, Du Plessis appeared to be flagging against the two-time former champion before a spectacular takedown of Adesanya solidified his 185-pound belt.

Dricus du Plessis claimed the belt in January 2024

Du Plessis (22-2) has now won 10 fights in a row, having originally claimed the belt after beating polarising Sean Strickland in January.

“I came in here to die for this belt,” Du Plessis said.

“I came here to take it home. Here I am, still the champion.”

At a sold-out 15 000 Perth Arena, Adesanya (24-4) enjoyed significant crowd support and seemed to have an edge for much of the fight until he was helpless against Du Plessis’s rear-naked choke.

“I’m disappointed, but at the same time I’m proud because this is the best I’ve felt and looked,” said the Nigeria-born New Zealander, who made his return after a shock defeat to Strickland in September last year.

“I just had the better man on the night and I’ll give him respect for that.”

Dricus du Plessis was accompanied into the octagon by Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and second-rower Eben Etzebeth, with his country’s national anthem thundering around the venue.

When the bout was over, Kolisi and Etzebeth, who were seated ringside, had to be restrained by security.

WARNING: Video contains swearing

There was much anticipation over the bout after the fighters had engaged in a war of words in the build-up.

They were meant to fight in Sydney last year, but Du Plessis was unavailable due to injury.

It was a measured start amid a febrile atmosphere with the taller Adesanya, a former kickboxer, using his longer reach to fend off the aggression of Du Plessis.

Grappling

Adesanya aimed to counterstrike and he utilised his favoured kicks to deadly effect, as Du Plessis emerged bloodied on his forehead.

Du Plessis unleashed a powerful left-handed punch late in the first round and his momentum continued in the next when he landed a big takedown and had control on Adesanya’s back.

But he could not lock in a submission as Adesanya worked his way back into the fight with grappling.

Adesanya’s strategy of wearing down Du Plessis appeared to take effect by the fourth round as he landed cleaner punches.

But Dricus du Plessis mustered energy and a rattling blow wobbled Adesanya as the South African soon emerged triumphant.

Meanwhile, also on the main card, Kai Kara-France stunned the partisan crowd by pummelling Australian Steve Erceg in a first round-knockout in their flyweight bout.

The New Zealander was in an aggressive mood and twice dropped a hapless Erceg with a flurry of powerful punches.

“I knew Steve was going to be crafty and smart, so I had to set it up… and be smart and that’s when I went for the finish,” said the 31-year-old Kara-France.

In a heavyweight bout, Jairzinho Rozenstruik of Suriname beat Australian Tai Tuivasa by split decision.

A parody South African Department X account appeared to indicate that the Presidency had convened and resolved to make the day a public holiday, encouraging South Africans to ‘braai and celebrate how much we’ve been winning lately’.

However, new Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, was quick to refute the post, telling South Africans to attend work in the morning.

Springboks, Proteas, Dricus du Plessis all winners

As reported by The South African website, the Springboks beat Australia for the second time in as many weekend’s on Saturday, winning 30-12 in Perth after defeating the Wallabies 33-7 in Brisbane seven days’ prior.

The Proteas defeated the West Indies by 40 runs on the third day of the second and final Test on Saturday after the first Test had ended in a draw.

Finally, Dricus du Plessis defended his UFC middleweight title at UFC 305 on Sunday morning after stopping challenger Israel Adesanya in Round 4 in Perth.

Du Plessis secured a submission victory in the fourth round of their championship bout in the main event of UFC 305.

Dricus du Plessis meant no disrespect to Israel Adesanya

After the fight he had some kind words for his opponent, and even offered a qualified apology to Adesanya.

“I’m really sorry that it came across that I disrespected the fact that he’s from Africa, that was never my intention,” Du Plessis said.

“Tonight, Africa would have won regardless, but tonight, South Africa was the victor. It was an honour for me to share this cage with a legend like that; I have the utmost respect for him, warrior to warrior.”

Du Plessis knew that he would have to be on top of his game to get beyond Adesanya with his title.

“[He’s] one of the greatest strikers ever in this division. I needed that takedown, got the takedown. At this level, it’s hard to keep people down. This man is the king of getting back up, nobody can take him down and keep him there.

“I got a few good ones, landed a few good punches, but ultimately I believe this fight was won on the feet. I’m alive right now, that’s just a bonus; I came in here to die for this belt, and I came here to take it back home.”

One mistake is all it takes

Adesanya felt that he was always in the battle and felt that his loss was down to a single mistake on the ground.

“I felt strong, I resisted his takedowns well. I just made a stupid, dumb mistake on the ground, and he adjusted well to the Gable grip and caught me.

“I’m disappointed in myself, but at the same time I’m proud. He was just the better man on the night, and I give him respect for that.”

Adesanya suggested his MMA career isn’t quite done yet as he still has some unfiinished business.

“I didn’t think this far, I didn’t manifest this! I’m 35, I’m doing the right things,” he said.

Was this Dricus du Plessis’ best fight?

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. You can also follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.

Kolisi and Etzebeth look like they might have needed to be restrained to keep them out of the Octagon after a great win for Du Plessis.

WATCH: Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth are all of us

Du Plessis brought the UFC title fight in Perth to a sudden halt after locking in a choke on Adesanya in the fourth round.

It had been a fairly even fight up until that point with Du Plessis using his wrestling skills to neutralise the striking and counter-striking of Adesanya.

When Adesanya tapped out, South Africa was on its feet just like our Springbok heroes.

South Africa stands tall with Eben Etzebeth and Siya Kolisi watching on

Du Plessis was defending the crown he won from Sean Strickland in January, while Adesanya aimed to become a three-time champion.

In the build-up, South Africa’s Du Plessis and Nigerian-born Adesanya, who fights out of New Zealand, clashed over their backgrounds, with Du Plessis claiming to be the first “real” African UFC champion: the first not only to be born on the continent, but also to have lived and trained there throughout his career.

But by the end of the main event in Australia, the two had exchanged respect and good words after Du Plessis won a tough bout by rear naked choke.

Adesanya rues silly mistake against Dricus Du Plessis

After the bout Adesanya reacted, satying: “I felt strong, I resisted his takedowns well. I just made a stupid, dumb mistake on the ground, and he adjusted well to the Gable grip and caught me.

“I’m disappointed in myself, but at the same time I’m proud. He was just the better man on the night, and I give him respect for that.”

Adesanya was then asked what’s next and he said: “I didn’t think this far, I didn’t manifest this! I’m 35, I’m doing the right things…”

It is clear that the 35-year-old isn’t done in the Octagon just yet and much of his performance suggested he is still very close to the top of his game.

What’s next for Dricus Du Plessis?

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In the main event, Du Plessis put his belt on the line against the former UFC champion in Perth. The 30-year-old Pretoria fighter looked confident before the match as he was ‘escorted’ by two Springboks stars Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth,

Dricus defends UFC title against Adesanya

Dricus initially started the fight slowly, but eventually gained momentum and unleashed a series of devastating punches. He then secured a chokehold, forcing Adesanya to quickly tap out, resulting in a decisive defeat by submission.

After the fight, Dricus and Adesanya were seen embracing each other. The defending champion even praised his opponent, saying he did so much for the sport.

“This man has done so much for this sport. It was an honour for me to share the same cage with a legend like that. Guys, believe me, I do not want to be kicked by that man again,” du Plessis said.

The rivalry between Adesanya and Dricus heated up due to Du Plessis‘ comment from early last year about wanting to be the first “real African champion,” which didn’t sit well with Adesanya. After the fight, the two men showed respect by acknowledging each other and fans praised both fighters for showing maturity.

@AjDuxche wrote, “I’m glad Dricus and Adesanya were able to squash the beef and show respect to each other after the fight.”

“Dricus humble in victory. Great to see the guys giving each other respect in the ring. A much better look for the sport, “@TrollusMaximus tweeted.

Did you enjoy the fight?

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or emailing info@thesouthafrican.com. Meanwhile, you can also send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for your social fix.

Drake’s wagers on sporting events have become something of a meme with the Canadian having an atrocious track record.

Drake loses again betting against Dricus du Plessis

He placed a $450,000 wager on Adesanya to regain the UFC Middleweight championship in Perth at UFC 305.

Du Plessis had other ideas as he made Adesanya tap in the fourth round of their epic battle.

Drake is now in the red when it comes to wagers placed on Adesanya down the years.

The 37-year-old entertainer has now lost more money than he has won betting on the Nigerian-born MMA star. He held a slender $15,000 profit across his previous bets on Adesanya but is now more than $400,000 in the red.

This is still not his biggest single loss betting on Adesanya with that coming when he bet on the Stylebender to beat Alex Pereira back at UFC 281 when he lost over $1.59 million.

The curse is alive and well after Drake fumbles on Dricus Du Plessis

Drake has a lengthy history of placing bets on sports, especially the UFC, and his failures frequently garner more attention than his wins because of the well-known joke known as “The Drake Curse,” which haunts the athletes or teams he backs.

Perhaps this performance by Du Plessis will convince the Canadian to rethink his wagers.

We wouldn’t bet on it though.

UFC 305 results

Main card

Dricus du Plessis def. Israel Adesanya via sub (RNC) (R4, 3:38)

Kai Kara-France def. Steve Erceg via first-round TKO (1:04)

Dan Hooker def. Mateusz Gamrot via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

Jairzinho Rozenstruik def. Tai Tuivasa via SD

Carlos Prates def. Li Jingliang via second-round KO (4:02)

Prelims

Valter Walker def. Junior Tafa via submission (heel hook) (R1, 4:56)

Ricardo Ramos def. Joshua Culibao via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

Casey O’Neill def. Luana Santos via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 30-26)

Jack Jenkins def. Herbert Burns via third-round TKO (0:48)

Tom Nolan def. Alex Reyes via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

Song Kenan def. Ricky Glenn via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 29-28)

Jesus Aguilar def. Stewart Nicoll via sub (guillotine) (R1, 2:39)

Who is your favourite MMA star?

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Wrestling proved the difference as Adesanya dominated striking and looked comfortable in the standup.

However, the South African had the gameplan in place and took his chance to end the bout in a submission.

Dricus du Plessis makes Israel Adesanya tap out in Perth

The opening round was a cagey affair with both fighters trying to get a read on each other.

Adesanya was more precise with striking as the fighters stood up for the entire round.

Du Plessis saw a cut opened on his forehead after collecting a knee from Adesanya.

Still the South African appeared pleased after the round.

In the second round Du Plessis changed things up as he started to get inside and use his wrestling skills.

He shot for five takedowns and managed to take Adesanya away from his base with most of the round on the mat.

Adesanya comes after DDP

Adesanya responded well in the third round as he tagged Du Plessis with some precise striking.

The challenger appeared to be edging ahead after the third round.

Du Plessis’ corner encouraged him to get forward and go after the challenger.

Adesanya kept attacking the body of Du Plessis and managed to avoid getting into the grips of the South African.

Round four proved to be the decisive one and Du Plessis saw his opening when he rocked Adesanya with some great shots.

Du Plessis took down Adesanya and locked in the rear-naked choke giving his opponent no choice but to tap out.

Is the beef settled?

Du Plessis was respectful towards Adesanya after the fight calling him a legend of the Octagon after getting the biggest win of his career to date.

Adesanya made it clear that he is not ready to hang up his gloves just yet insisting that he will ‘fight for his family’ forever.

The result means that Du Plessis might have earned South Africa its very first UFC event. Several venues are vying for the right to host and this win could be big for the sport in Africa.

Who should Dricus du Plessis fight next?

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The highly anticipated match is set for five rounds and will once and for all end the debate on who is the true ‘African champion’. During Friday’s pre-fight press conference, the two fighters clashed ahead of their UFC middleweight championship match. Du Plessis seemed to have said something that caused Izzy to burst into tears.

Israel Adesanya cried in front of Dricus

“He touched a subject there, because I do this for my family,” a tearful Adesanya said.

“I do this for the people I love, and I will fight for you forever, I swear to God. Watch this. Look, I am a f**king human being, I am a man. I can cry and whoop your ass at the same time.

“First time I fought here (in Perth), (UFC) 221, that was February 2018. That was me making me dreams come true. Sunday, I’m going to f**king kill your dreams, bitch. I’m going to f**king kill your dreams.”

The fight between Israel Adesanya and Dricus Du Plessis is scheduled for 04:00(SA) on Sunday.

Last year, there was supposed to be a match between Du Plessis and Adesanya, the reigning champion at the time. Their rivalry heated up due to Du Plessis‘ comment from early last year about wanting to be the first “real African champion,” which didn’t sit well with Adesanya.

Izzy is of Nigerian descent and resides in New Zealand. Dricus has said in the past that Adesanya can’t rate himself as an African champion if he doesn’t live or train in Africa.

Who will win Sunday’s fight? Izzy or DDP?

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or emailing info@thesouthafrican.com. Meanwhile, you can also send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for your social fix.

McKenzie posted on X, formerly Twitter: @dricusduplessis bliksem hom!

McKenzie appears to be in Perth judging from his X account where he earlier on Saturday posted a picture from the stands ahead of the Springboks’ Rugby Championship Test against the Wallabies.

As reported by The South African website, Du Plessis will be accompanied to the octagon by Springbok legends Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth.

If that alone doesn’t give Du Plessis a psychological advantage over his opponent, nothing will!

Nigeria-born Adesanya will be 35 come fight night, while Pretoria-born Du Plessis will be 30.

Leading South African bookmakers Betway cannot separate the two fighters, with both men on offer at 8/10.

Below, ALL the key information ahead of the title fight.

What time is Dricus du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya?

The main card for UFC 305 gets underway at 04:00 (SA time) on Sunday, 18 August.

There is no fixed time for the Dricus du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya main event.

If everything runs according to plan, the bout is expected to start around 06:30 (SA time) – but set your alarms a little earlier just in case!

Where can I watch Dricus du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya?

In South Africa, SuperSport hold the exclusive rights to broadcast UFC events.

UFC 305 will be broadcast on SuperSport Action and SuperSport Variety.

Tale of the tape

Dricus du Plessis

AGE: 30

NICKNAME: “Stillknocks”

HEIGHT: 6-foot-1

REACH: 76 inches

STANCE: Orthodox

TRAINER: Morne Visser

FIGHTS: 23

WINS: 21

DRAWS: 0

DEFEATS: 2

LAST FIGHT: Split-decision victory vs Sean Strickland (January 2024)

Israel Adesanya

AGE: 35

NICKNAME: “The Last Stylebender”

HEIGHT: 6-foot-4

REACH: 80 inches

STANCE: Orthodox

TRAINER: Eugene Bareman

FIGHTS: 27

WINS: 24

DRAWS: 0

DEFEATS: 3

LAST FIGHT: Unanimous decision defeat v Sean Strickland (September 2023)

Career records

Dricus du Plessis

Rank: Champion

Total: 23

Wins: 21

By knockout: 9

Submission : 10

By decision: 2

Losses: 2

By knockout: 1

By submission: 1

Israel Adesanya

Rank: 2

Total: 27

Wins: 24

By knockout: 16

By decision: 8

Losses: 3

By knockout: 1

By decision: 2

Who’ve you got to win?

Let us know who you think will win at UFC 305 by clicking on the comment tab below this article or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.

You can also follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the MMA news.

Here we bring you all the key information ahead of the massive battle.

What time is Dricus du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya?

The main card for UFC 305 gets underway at 04:00 SAST on Sunday 18 August. However, there is no fixed time for the Dricus du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya main event. If everything runs according to plan the bout is expected to start at about 06:30 SAST.

Where can I watch Dricus du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya?

In South Africa, SuperSport hold the exclusive rights to broadcast UFC events. UFC 305 will be broadcast on SuperSport Action and SuperSport Variety.

Tale of the tape

Du Plessis is five years Adesanya’s junior and is the shorter of the two at 1.85m compared to the 1.93m Nigerian born former champ.

The champion is also at a reach disadvantage, with a wingspan of 193cm versus the challenger’s 203.2cm.

For Du Plessis it will be important to close the distance between the two down quickly when he comes forward. Adesanya can afford to wait for Du Plessis and punish him with precise strikes.

Dricus Du Plessis

AGE: 30

NICKNAME: “Stillknocks”

HEIGHT: 6ft 1ins

REACH: 76ins

STANCE: Orthodox

TRAINER: Morne Visser

FIGHTS: 23

WINS: 21

DRAWS: 0

DEFEATS: 2

LAST FIGHT: Split-decision victory vs. Sean Strickland (January 2024)

Israel Adesanya

AGE: 35

NICKNAME: “The Last Stylebender”

HEIGHT: 6ft 4ins

REACH: 80ins

STANCE: Orthodox

TRAINER: Eugene Bareman

FIGHTS: 27

WINS: 24

DRAWS: 0

DEFEATS: 3

LAST FIGHT: Unanimous decision defeat vs. Sean Strickland (September 2023)

Career records

Dricus Du Plessis

Rank: Champion

Total: 23

Wins: 21

By knockout: 9

Submission : 10

By decision: 2

Losses: 2

By knockout: 1

By submission: 1

Israel Adesanya

Rank: #2

Total: 27

Wins: 24

By knockout: 16

By decision: 8

Losses: 3

By knockout: 1

By decision: 2

What are they fighting for

Dricus du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya is for the UFC Middleweight Championship of the World but this battle is about more than that.

For Du Plessis this is about making South Africa proud.

“They wanted me to win just as bad as I wanted myself to win,” Du Plessis told UFC.com.

“So that was incredible when I arrived there. The welcoming I got, I felt so loved. That’s our country. We’re so proud of our country and when we achieve something. That’s what drives me when I get in there. I fight for something much, much bigger than myself, my own goals. It plays a role, but when I’m wearing that flag, I can’t do anything else than be exceptional, because it’s much bigger than myself.”

Adesanya has his legacy to think of an the possibility of a sharing a UFC record but this bout is personal.

“Experience (is the difference),” Adesanya said at Wednesday’s UFC 305 media day.

“A lot has happened in the last few months. I’ve had to go through some life sh*t myself. My personal life, on my social media, (I don’t show what I) go through, a lot of life stuff and a lot of soul searching and a lot of, ‘What do I want from this game?

“What do I want from life? What do I see myself? What do I want my legacy to be?’

“All these questions I have to ask myself and have honest talk to myself. Eventually I just knew when I came back, I wanted to be renewed, reinvented. I wanted to be the same animal, but a different beast.”

Who will win?

Let us know who you think will win at UFC 305 by clicking on the comment tab below this article or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. You can also follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.

Du Plessis’ bout is expected to get underway at around 06:30 (SA time) this Sunday – depending on how long the undercard fights last – while the Springboks’ game against the Wallabies will conclude around 14:00 the day before.

On the eve of these blockbuster battles, a special get together was hosted in Perth, with Springboks such as Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, RG Snyman and Aphelele Fassi all gathering to wish Du Plessis well.

In a video shared to social media, Kolisi delivers a special speech to Du Plessis, before the UFC super star responds to share what it means to have the support of the Springboks and South Africa behind him.

YOU CAN HEAR WHAT SIYA KOLISI AND DRICUS DU PLESSIS HAD TO SAY BELOW:

Meanwhile, it’s been confirmed that Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth are set to form part of Dricus du Plessis’ entrance walk to the Octagon.

Speaking to KFM breakfast show host Darren Simpson this week, the UFC champion confirmed that he would have some special companions alongside him.

“We’re busy with that, getting Eben and Siya to walk out with us, it looks like it’s basically going to be a done deal,” said the 30-year-old.

“We are going to have them walk out with me. They won’t be sitting in the corner, but they will be walking with me to the octagon, which is pretty special.

“The Boks are playing, they are the pride of South Africa, and then I’m fighting, all on the same weekend. Talk about stars aligning.

“Once I put that South African flag around my shoulders, there is nothing in the world that can stop me. He can knock me down, but he won’t knock me out and he won’t keep me down.”

SPRINGBOKS BACK THEIR BOYTJIE

Dricus du Plessis is a staunch Springboks supporter and attended several of South Africa’s World Cup playoff matches, including the final against the All Blacks.

Video clips of Du Plessis wildly celebrating the Springboks’ title triumph in the stadium went viral at the time.

Prior to his last fight against Sean Strickland, a host of Springboks then returned the favour as they sent him messages of support ahead of the bout.

Du Plessis will compliment his green trunks with golden gloves for the fight and will be led out by Springboks Eben Etzebeth and Siya Kolisi.

Green and Gold forever for Dricus Du Plessis

Du Plessis feels the weight on a nation’s expectations ahead of the battle with Adesanya.

He would take aim at his foe’s achievements ahead of the bout.

“With a guy like Adesanya, he’s seen it all and achieved it all so now you can go ‘Well, now you’re the first three-time UFC champion’ but that just means he lost the belt twice.

What time is the fight?

“It’s not an achievement, it’s just a record that is on record, it’s not an achievement for a person but what is there left for the man in this sport?”

He’s in his head

Du Plessis wouldn’t take any credit for Adesanya’s erratic behaviour of late. He feels that the Nigerian-born MMA star is in his own head.

“The only battle this man has – I’m not in his head, he’s in his own – I think for him, he’s looking for a reason as to ‘Why am I doing this?’… It’s all irrelevant at this stage [of his career] … Whereas with me, I’ve always had this goal, and I have a whole career ahead of me, it’s a changing of the guard,” the South African said.

At the media day ahead of the event this weekend, Du Plessis was asked to comment on Adesanya possibly winning the title for the third time.

He was asked if it would have meant more if he had to battle back through the rankings to get his shots and replied: “That’s actually a very good point,” noted Du Plessis.

“If you lost the belt and had to fight all the way back up then that takes determination but getting a title shot after a loss every single time, that’s interesting.

“I’m assuming we’ll have a rematch after this.”

Strickland not in the frame

Du Plessis is willing to grant a rematch to Sean Strickland after their split decision battle.

“I don’t mind the Strickland rematch,” acknowledged Du Plessis, sharing how “People are like ‘Which one would I choose,’ but I choose which one is the fight that people want to see.”

However, he thinks the UFC will want another fighter in his place.

“It’s a very interesting situation at middleweight right now because you’re sitting with Strickland who beat [Paulo] Costa, but then you get Whittaker who’s been at it- who beat Costa as well. He also beat Costa before Strickland in a much more entertaining fight for sure.

“But let’s be honest, if the Whittaker – Chimaev fight ends in a draw, Khamzat’s getting a title shot for sure, 100%. The UFC have been wanting to give Khamzat a title shot for years he just wouldn’t take it… I’m rooting for Whittaker in that fight although I would love to fight Khamzat.”

Will Dricus Du Plessis retain the UFC middleweight crown?

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The MMA star with a global following says that he has been through the fire.

Israel Adesanya fires warning

He warned Du Plessis that he would face a challenge unlike any other.

“Experience (is the difference),” Adesanya said at Wednesday’s UFC 305 media day.

“A lot has happened in the last few months. I’ve had to go through some life sh*t myself. My personal life, on my social media, (I don’t show what I) go through, a lot of life stuff and a lot of soul searching and a lot of, ‘What do I want from this game?

“What do I want from life? What do I see myself? What do I want my legacy to be?’

“All these questions I have to ask myself and have honest talk to myself. Eventually I just knew when I came back, I wanted to be renewed, reinvented. I wanted to be the same animal, but a different beast.”

A different beast

Adesanya insists that he is only focused on this fight. He adds that this isn’t about a title.

“I’m different now,” he said. “I’m not trying to look toward the future. I’m putting everything on this fight. I’m not a guy who needs to fight for a belt (because) I’ve never done it before.

“This is my one – I’m just focused on this fight and this time out and then I’ll deal with whatever comes next when it comes.”

Not thinking beyond DDP

Adesanya could join Randy Couture as the only three-time UFC champion in the same weight class with a victory.

He has pledged to be better than ever before.

“I think you guys will see the best me you’ve seen yet,” Adesanya said. “I’m the biggest that I’ve ever been, the most muscular, I guess, I’ve ever been. I feel faster. I surprise myself, sometimes, with this speed that I’m hitting with. I’m not really hitting hard – I’m just really sharp. I feel like a blade in this one. It feels good to refresh myself and reset myself, and now let’s get it.”

Who is going to win Dricus du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya?

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White has high hopes for an explosive fight despite his reservations on clashes between men who have beef with each other.

The UFC founder believes that these fights are often duds but asserted that this one would defy that rule.

What’s on the line when Dricus du Plessis fights Israel Adesanya

White added that Adesanya is fighting for his legacy while Du Plessis is fighting for his country.

The reward for Du Plessis winning the fight will be an event in South Africa it seems.

“I’m sure [there’s tension]. [It’s a] big fight,” White said.

“Every time guys hate each other like this, the fight usually ends up sucking, but I have a really good feeling this one won’t. You’re talking about, if you’re looking at what Israel Adesanya has achieved in his life, not just here but in kickboxing too, and Dricus, he brings it, man. He comes.

“You have one of these situations where, both guys, everything is on the line, especially because they dislike each other so much,” White said.

“And if [du Plessus] can beat Izzy and bring that belt back to South Africa, obviously we’ll do an event there. And if Izzy can retain and win the title, it’s huge for him and his legacy — not retain, but regain.”

The battle awaits in UFC

The Nigerian-born MMA star then took a break from the sport but given his beef with Du Plessis he was always likely to end that break if there was a chance he could settle that score.

Du Plessis would call out Adesanya after he in turn snatched the UFC middleweight title from Strickland at UFC 297 in January.

Adesanya dropped confirmation of the fight on his social media this week, revealing that he will face Du Plessis at UFC 305 which is scheduled to take place in Perth, Australia.

In a message alongside a graphic which fired back at Du Plessis’ claims that he stole Adesanya’s shine, the fighter wrote: “The SUN of Africa is the same sun that lights up our planet.

“The SUN will set and will rise again until you walk into it.

“The SUN, enjoy while it shines. Darkness falls when it’s gone.”

Adesanya has won the middleweight title in the UFC twice. He successfully defended the championship five times against Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa, Marvin Vettori, Robert Whittaker, and Jared Cannonier during his first title reign. Alex Pereira overthrew him at UFC 281; nevertheless, he took revenge for the defeat in their rematch and won the title back at UFC 287.

Do you want to see a UFC event in South Africa?

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. You can also follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.

As reported by The South African website, Du Plessis will put his belt on the line against Nigeria-born Adesanya this weekend at the RAC Arena.

Adesanya will be 35 come fight night, while Pretoria-born Du Plessis will be 30.

Dricus du Plessis claimed the belt in Canada in January

Adesanya lost his middleweight title to Sean Strickland in September 2023 at UFC 293 in Sydney, Australia, only for Du Plessis to beat Strickland – and claim the belt – at UFC 297 in January this year.

Du Plessis hasn’t defended his title since that unanimous decision went his way in Toronto, Canada.

Leading South African bookmakers Betway are leaning towards Adesanya reclaiming his title.

Adesanya has been installed as marginal favourite at 3/4, with Du Plessis on offer at 8/10.

Meanwhile, as reported by The South African website, Du Plessis and Adesanya will throw hands hours after the final whistle in the Wallabies vs Springboks Rugby Championship clash, also in Perth.

That clash at the Optus Stadium will kick off at 19:55 local time (11:55 SA time).

The Du Plessis vs Adesanya fight will be the main event on the UFC 305 card and will take place in the early hours of Sunday morning (SA time), sometime between 06:00 and 07:00 at best guess.

Conservatively, there a 100% chance that a number of Springboks will be in attendance to support Du Plessis in his title defence.

As reported by The South African website, Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth will accompany Du Plessis on his walk to the octagon.

That alone should give Du Plessis a massive psychological advantage over his opponent.

Whatever you do, clear your schedule for that day!

EARLY PREDICTIONS:

Springboks to beat the Wallabies by 18 points

Dricus du Plessis to beat Israel Adesanya and retain his middleweight title

Dricus du Plessis was a big winner in more ways than one

Coming into the bout, Du Plessis was reportedly guaranteed a $350,000 base pay and $32,000 in incentives (around R7.62 million at the time).

In addition, the winner was set to earn double base pay for a win – excluding PPV buys and any performance of the night bonuses – meaning Du Plessis was expected to roughly walk away with over R15 million in a whopping pay day.

His long-awaited title defence will now take place this weekend against Israel Adesanya in a showdown for the middleweight world championship when they meet in the main event of UFC 305.

The official earnings for UFC 305 have not yet been disclosed, but an estimate can be made based on their previous payouts.

As highlighted, Du Plessis reportedly earned a total around $1 million in his fight against Strickland in January, but as the current champion, he is expected to earn even more.

All in, the 30-year-old could bank the biggest pay day of his career (in the region of R18m plus) if he can successfully defend his title.

Adesanya has previously had higher purses thanks to his record as a two-time UFC champion, and for example in his fight against Alex Pereira in April 2023, he reportedly earned a total of $2,807,000. He was said to have earned even more when he ultimately lost the title to Strickland in a subsequent battle.

Fight details

Dricus du Plessis Record: 21-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC
Opponent: Israel Adesanya (24-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Key wins: Sean Strickland, Robert Whittaker, Derek Brunson, Darren Till, Brad Tavares

Israel Adesanya Record: 24-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC
Opponent: Dricus Du Plessis (21-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Key wins: Alex Pereira, Jared Cannonier, Robert Whittaker (twice), Marvin Vettori (twice), Paulo Costa, Yoel Romero, Kelvin Gastelum, Anderson Silva, Derek Brunson, Brad Tavares, Rob Wilkinson

The bout between Du Plessis and Adesanya is expected to get underway at around 06:30 (SA time) this Sunday – depending on how long the undercard fights last.

South Africa (SAST)
• Main Card: begins at 04:00 (Aug 18)
• Prelim Card: begins at 02:00 (Aug 18)
• Early Prelims: begins at 00:30 (Aug 18

The event is set to take place at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, on the morning of Sunday, 18 August (SA time), and will begin several several hours after the Springboks tackle the Wallabies in the same city.

Du Plessis’ bout is expected to get underway at around 06:30 (SA time) this Sunday – depending on how long the undercard fights last – while the Springboks’ game against the Wallabies will conclude around 14:00 the day before.

Speaking on KFM’s morning breakfast show, Du Plessis confirmed that there were plans for several Springbok players to attend UFC 305 to watch his fight.

In another blockbuster revelation, he said there was a strong likelihood that Springbok stars Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth would be able to form part of his entourage during the much-hyped ‘entrance walk’ to the Octagon.

“That will be very very special,” Du Plessis commented.

SPRINGBOKS BACK THEIR BOYTJIE DRICUS DU PLESSIS

Dricus du Plessis is a staunch Springboks supporter and attended several of South Africa’s World Cup playoff matches, including the final against the All Blacks.

Video clips of Du Plessis wildly celebrating the Springboks’ title triumph in the stadium went viral at the time.

Prior to his last fight against Sean Strickland, a host of Springboks then returned the favour as they sent him messages of support ahead of the bout.

FIGHT FOR THE AGES

Du Plessis (21-2) won the middleweight title in January 2024 when he claimed a split decision triumph over Strickland in Toronto, becoming the first South African to win a UFC championship.

Nigerian-born Adesanya (24-3) is a former two-time middleweight champion but lost the title to Strickland via unanimous decision in September last year.

“I’ve always looked at Israel Adesanya as the benchmark,” ‘Stillknocks’ explained. “Now Izzy became a champion a long time ago, and I’ve looked at him and always knew this is where I need to be if I ever want to be the best in the world. This is the benchmark.

“He is one of the greatest to ever do it, and this fight for me is going to put me in that position. This is where I take over as one of the greatest to ever do it. This is where my years of building and climbing that ladder is going to a point where I am now the guy that’s one of the greatest to ever do it.”

UFC 305 – Main card

– Main event: Middleweight championship: Dricus du Plessis v Israel Adesanya

– Flyweight: Kai Kara-France v Steve Erceg

– Lightweight: Mateusz Gamrot v Dan Hooker

– Heavyweight: Tau Tuivasa v Jairzinho Rozenstruik

– Welterweight: Li Jingliang v Carlos Prates

He then immediately called out Nigerian Israel Adesanya to be his next opponent at UFC 305, which will take place in Perth, Australia, this weekend.

The fight between Du Plessis and Adesanya will take place on Saturday, 18 August at the RAC Arena, but due to the time difference, South Africans will need to wake up early on Sunday to watch the bout ‘live’.

The main card starts at 10pm ET (4am Sunday, SA time), and Du Plessis and Adesanya should make their way to the octagon around 12:30am ET (6.30am Sunday, SA time), depending on how long the undercard fights last. 

Dricus du Plessis UFC 305 fight card, odds

Dricus du Plessis (+110) vs. Israel Adesanya (-130)

Kai Kara-France (+190) vs. Steve Erceg (-230)

Mateusz Gamrot (-258) vs. Dan Hooker (+210)

Tai Tuivasa (+160) vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (-192)

Li Jingliang (+210) vs. Carlos Prates (-258)

UFC 305 Preliminary card Odds

Junior Tafa (-108) vs. Valter Walker (-112)

Joshua Culibao (-170) vs. Ricardo Ramos (+142)

Casey O’Neill (+124) vs. Luana Santos (-148)

Jack Jenkins (-550) vs. Herbert Burns (+410)

Early preliminary card

Tom Nolan (-1050) vs. Alex Reyes (+675)

Song Kenan (-230) vs. Ricky Glenn (+190)

Stewart Nicoll (-218) vs. Jesús Santos Aguilar (+180)

You can see the latest face off between Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya:

Du Plessis’ latest triumph once again united South Africa behind a sporting success story, while the build-up to the fight – as well as the bout itself – undoubtedly brought a huge new following to UFC from sports lovers in Mzansi.

Prior to the fight, Du Plessis said in an exclusive interview with The South African that his “one wish” for the bout was to see it result in the UFC coming to South Africa after seeing all the support and interest that has come out of the country.

“I only have one dream. The rest is work that I’ve already done for this. I don’t want to be given anything. I’ll take it. But there is one wish after hearing Dana White talking at a press conference about possibly bringing a UFC event to South Africa … that would be the dream…. It’s not totally in my control, but being a champion and getting an entire country hyped up for the UFC would go a long way.”

Adesanya lost his title to Sean Strickland in September of 2023 at UFC 293 in Sydney Australia.

Du Plessis snatched the title from Strickland after a brutal and attritional fight at UFC 297 that ended in a split decision victory

What time is Dricus Du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya title fight

There isn’t a fixed time for the bout between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya. However, if the undercard doesn’t run long it should get underway at around 06:30 (SAST) on Sunday 18 August.

The Nigerian-born MMA star has taken a break from the sport but given his beef with Du Plessis he was always likely to end the sabbatical if there was a chance he could settle the score.

Du Plessis would call out Adesanya after he in turn snatched the UFC middleweight title from Strickland at UFC 297 in January.

Adesanya dropped confirmation of the fight on his social media this week, revealing that he will face Du Plessis at UFC 305 which is scheduled to take place in Perth, Australia.

In a message alongside a graphic which fired back at Du Plessis’ claims that he stole Adesanya’s shine, the fighter wrote: “The SUN of Africa is the same sun that lights up our planet.

“The SUN will set and will rise again until you walk into it.

“The SUN, enjoy while it shines. Darkness falls when it’s gone.”

Adesanya has won the middleweight title in the UFC twice. He successfully defended the championship five times against Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa, Marvin Vettori, Robert Whittaker, and Jared Cannonier during his first title reign. Alex Pereira overthrew him at UFC 281; nevertheless, he took revenge for the defeat in their rematch and won the title back at UFC 287.

Stylebender says he ‘has enough belts’

He has insisted that his next run in the UFC will be about settling scores not winning titles.

“I’m excited,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “It’s been a year, almost a year, like 11 months by the time I get back in the octagon. People are always like, ‘I hope you get the belt back, I hope you get the belt back.’ Like, I got belts. I don’t need anymore belts. I’m coming for heads.

“That’s what I want to do. I’m excited to come back, but everything comes at it’s own time. So, right now it’s training, chilling, working, relaxing, healing. Then when it’s time, it’s time for killing.”

Du Plessis has not fought since January, pulling out of a proposed fight at UFC 300 as he nursed an injury following his brutal war with Strickland.

Some fans and pundits have questioned the decision to hand Adesanya a title bout after he lost his championship in September and hasn’t stepped into the Octagon since.

Can Dricus du Plessis retain his UFC title?

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. You can also follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.

Du Plessis believes that his victory over Strickland was clear cut although he was shocked that it was a split decision.

Dricus du Plessis doesn’t owe Sean Strickland anything

The UFC middleweight champion feels that he doesn’t owe Strickland anything.

He added that his fight against Israel Adesanya was the one everyone wanted to see.

“I don’t owe Sean anything,” du Plessis told Kevin Iole. “The rules are pretty clear. It’s scored round by round. The fact that it was a split decision is the biggest shocking factor for me.

“It was a very clear win for me. But like I said, it’s for me the biggest fight is the fight that I want, the fight the fans want to see.

“At the end of the day, they are the ones that pay for the tickets, buy the pay-per-views and, you know, they are the ones that watch this sport.

“So obviously for me, fighting the Adesanya fight was by far the biggest fight that I could do. It’s probably the biggest fight of the year. One of them at least. The Strickland fight, sure. I mean, if that’s the fight that makes sense, that’s the fight that I’m going to fight.”

Up for a rematch

Du Plessis said that he was happy to fight Strickland again if that is what the UFC wanted him to do.

“I would have had no problem doing the rematch. I even told the UFC. I said, ‘There’s no problem.’ If they want to do the rematch, if ‘Izzy’ isn’t ready to fight or anything, Strickland rematch, I’m more than willing. Even in Vegas in his hometown,” Du Plessis added.

“I have no problem with that. They decided to go with the Adesanya fight, which is great for me. Either way, it would have been great because both of them were big fights. Myself and Strickland would be even bigger the second time around. But I mean, this fight is huge. So yeah, after this, we’ll approach whatever comes after this, after this. But it will be interesting to see if Strickland’s even close to the conversation with the Kamzat Chimaev and Robert Whitaker fight happening soon.”

Dricus du Plessis will defend his UFC Middleweight title against Israel Adesanya on Sunday 18 August at UFC 305.

Can Dricus du Plessis retain his UFC title?

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. You can also follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.

As reported by The South African website, Du Plessis will put his belt on the line against Nigeria-born Adesanya on Sunday, 18 August at the RAC Arena.

Adesanya will be 35 come fight night, while Pretoria-born Du Plessis will be 30.

Dricus du Plessis claimed the belt in Canada in January

Adesanya lost his middleweight title to Sean Strickland in September 2023 at UFC 293 in Sydney, Australia, only for Du Plessis to beat Strickland – and claim the belt – at UFC 297 in January this year.

Du Plessis hasn’t defended his title since that unanimous decision went his way in Toronto, Canada.

Leading South African bookmakers Betway are backing Adesanya to reclaim his title.

Adesanya has been installed as favourite at 6/10, with Du Plessis on offer at 1/1.

Meanwhile, as reported by The South African website, Du Plessis and Adesanya will throw hands shortly after the final whistle in the Wallabies vs Springboks Rugby Championship clash, also in Perth.

That clash at the Optus Stadium will kick off at 19:45 local time (11:45 SA time).

The Du Plessis vs Adesanya fight will be the main event on the UFC 305 card and will take place in thee early hours of Sunday morning (SA time).

Conservatively, there a 100% chance the Springboks will be in attendance to support Du Plessis in his title defence.

Whatever you do, clear your schedule for that day!

EARLY PREDICTIONS:

Springboks to beat the Wallabies by 18 points

Dricus du Plessis to beat Israel Adesanya and retain his middleweight title

Du Plessis propelled himself into the middleweight title picture by irking Adesanya, but still holds a great deal of respect for him as a fighter.

Israel Adesanya is the benchmark

“I’ve always looked at Israel Adesanya as the benchmark,” Du Plessis said.

“Now Izzy became a champion a long time ago, and I’ve looked at him and always knew this is where I need to be if I ever want to be the best in the world. This is the benchmark.

“He is one of the greatest to ever do it, and this fight for me is going to put me in that position. This is where I take over as one of the greatest to ever do it. This is where my years of building and climbing that ladder is going to a point where I am now the guy that’s one of the greatest to ever do it.”

Dricus Du Plessis needs to be smart

Du Plessis believes he will have to fight very smart to overcome Adesanya in Perth in August.

“He’s a very smart fighter,” Du Plessis said on Adesanya.

“He figures out his opponents, and he sets a lot of traps. He does it incredibly well. So for me, this fight is just like how beating Robert Whittaker was. It’s a fight that people don’t think you’re going to win. It’s a hard fight.

“I’m fighting against arguably one of the greatest middleweights ever, and I have to go out there and prove that I am that guy. That’s what this fight is going to mean to me. It’s going to mean I told you I belong here.

“This fight is going to mean that Dricus Du Plessis is now in the conversation of being one of the greatest middleweights ever.”

Stylebender says he ‘has enough belts’

He has insisted that his next run in the UFC will be about settling scores not winning titles.

“I’m excited,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “It’s been a year, almost a year, like 11 months by the time I get back in the octagon. People are always like, ‘I hope you get the belt back, I hope you get the belt back.’ Like, I got belts. I don’t need anymore belts. I’m coming for heads.

“That’s what I want to do. I’m excited to come back, but everything comes at it’s own time. So, right now it’s training, chilling, working, relaxing, healing. Then when it’s time, it’s time for killing.”

Du Plessis has not fought since January, pulling out of a proposed fight at UFC 300 as he nursed an injury following his brutal war with Strickland.

Can Dricus Du Plessis defeat Israel Adesanya?

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. You can also follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.

“With our leader up there, my hero, that gladiator, we’re gonna bring America back together,” the 1980s icon said on stage at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee ahead of Trump’s closing speech on the fourth day of the event.

Hogan, whose real name is Terry Gene Bollea, compared Trump and his vice-presidential running mate J.D. Vance to the dynamic duo act he used to perform with “Macho Man” Randy Savage: The Mega Powers.

Hulk Hogan embroiled in controversy

Like he used to do in his wrestling matches, Hogan, 70, ripped off the T-shirt he was wearing to reveal a red one underneath showcasing the Trump-Vance presidential ticket.

As he entered the auditorium, packed with Republican delegates who nominated Trump as the party’s candidate for president, Hogan said she felt like he was in front of “real Americans.”

The wrestler was embroiled in controversy more than a decade ago after an intimate video of him leaked, as well as for his use of racist language.

The latter caused him to be fired from World Wrestling Entertainment in 2015, where he had won major titles during his career. He has since apologised for his actions.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

Adesanya recently claimed that he is eager to fight in South Africa.

Israel Adesanya says he is more in touch with South African culture

He added that he believes he is more in touch with the people of South Africa than the UFC middleweight champion.

“Of course. Those are my people.” Israel Adesanya responded when asked if he would be down to fight Dricus du Plessis in South Africa according to BJ Penn. “That’s my people, I bet you those are my people. I know that for a fact. I don’t care about cheers, but those are my people. When I go there, when I touch South Africa, they’re my people. Trust me, you’ll see. When I go to South Africa, I’m more in touch with the culture in South Africa than he is.”

He continued, “I can guarantee you that. Yeah [he’s from there], but the people. The people tell me, and the people know. I can go there, and not even the language, [it’s the] body language, the dances, the vibes. When I’m there, they know, and they tell me like, I’m their people. Yeah, it would be [insane to fight there].”

Du Plessis had only one thought in his mind when asked who he wants as his first challenger after he won the UFC Middleweight title in Toronto at UFC 297.

Israel Adesanya ‘I’ve got your shine’

Du Plessis was propelled into the big time thanks to his beef with Israel Adesanya and he wants to repay the favour.

“There was another guy who tried to take my shine,” Du Plessis said. “He lost his shine. Now, I have your shine. You didn’t get into the cage tonight, but Israel Adesanya, get your ass back in the UFC so we can settle the score.”

Du Plessis defeated Markus Perez, Trevin Giles, Brad Tavares, Darren Till, Derek Brunson, and Robert Whittaker to earn his shot at the title but there will be plenty who feel that were it not for Adesanya, he wouldn’t have been elevated so quickly.

For his part, Du Plessis did appear to start the beef with his contentious comments regarding Adesanya’s national identity. Adesanya was born in Nigeria but represented China as a kickboxer and switched nationalities to New Zealand.

That allowed Du Plessis to claim that he would be a true Africa champion, referring to the fact that he still lives on the continent and has no intention of relocating to another country.

Adesanya took this true African champion comment as a racially charged insult and infamously got into the Octagon to confront the South African after his victory over Whittaker.

Will Dricus du Plessis defeat Israel Adesanya

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. You can also follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.

Since that bout, Du Plessis has recovered from injury, and has now been preparing to face Adesanya at UFC 305, which will take place in Perth, Australia.

The South African fighter – nicknamed “Stillknocks” – is desperate to play his part in bringing a UFC event to his home country, but so far, this has failed to materialise.

“Looks like someone wants another beating in Aus…” he wrote on Instagram when confirming the fight earlier this year. “I’m in, I also wouldn’t want to fight the king of Africa on home soil. Manifestations working good for you AGAIN!”

Du Plessis has nine wins via knockout and ten via submission in his MMA career, while Adesanya – a former kickboxer – is a two-time UFC middleweight champion.

The fight between Du Plessis and Adesanya will take place on Saturday, 18 August at the RAC Arena.

The main card starts at 10pm ET (4am Sunday, SA time), and Du Plessis and Adesanya should make their way to the octagon around 12:30am ET (6.30am SA time), depending on how long the undercard fights last. 

UFC 305 fight card, odds

Bouts and order subject to change

• Dricus du Plessis (c) vs. Israel Adesanya for the UFC middleweight title
• Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg; bantamweight
• Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik; heavyweight
• Junior Tafa vs. Valter Walker; heavyweight
• Jack Jenkins vs. Gavin Tucker; featherweight
• Josh Culibao vs. Ricardo Ramos; featherweight
• Tom Nolan vs. Alex Reyes; lightweight
• Casey O’Neill vs. Tereza Bleda; flyweight

You can see the latest face off between Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya:

Earlier this year, the 30-year-old made it clear that it was not possible to feature on the upcoming mega card at UFC 300 in April.

“Let’s make UFC Africa, let’s make that happen,” Du Plessis commented when speaking on teammate Cameron Saaiman’s podcast. “That is what I would love, in an ideal situation, fighting Israel Adesanya on South African soil.  Hosting that event and making history for Africa, for the UFC, for myself and for him… that’s his heritage, he was born in Africa.

“If they want to do it this year, I will wait for that fight because that is the fight to make, that is a legacy fight for both of us.

“I think it would mean the world to do this in Africa. He claimed he’d drag my carcass around South Africa so let’s make that happen. If it’s not a possibility this year… that is the only thing that would make me wait. If not, I want to fight two more times this year.”

PRETORIA-BORN STAR DETERMINED TO SEE UFC DREAM COME TRUE

Du Plessis’ latest triumph once again united South Africa behind a sporting success story, while the build-up to the fight – as well as the bout itself – undoubtedly brought a huge new following to UFC from sports lovers in Mzansi.

Prior to the fight, Du Plessis said in an exclusive interview with The South African that his “one wish” for the bout was to see it result in the UFC coming to South Africa after seeing all the support and interest that has come out of the country.

“I only have one dream. The rest is work that I’ve already done for this. I don’t want to be given anything. I’ll take it. But there is one wish after hearing Dana White talking at a press conference about possibly bringing a UFC event to South Africa … that would be the dream…. It’s not totally in my control, but being a champion and getting an entire country hyped up for the UFC would go a long way.”

Du Plessis was about to debut in the EFC when he realised that he needed a fighter’s nickname.

Dricus Du Plessis’ nickname is ‘Stillknocks’

It was his brother who suggested he borrow and adapt the name Stillknocks in reference to the name of a sleeping pill.

The name stuck and has proven appropriate. Du Plessis has won 21 of his 23 professional fights. He has won by knockout nine times and by submission 10 with the judges involved just twice.

Why DDP isn’t fighting at UFC 300

Du Plessis insists that his decision to turn down a fight with Israel Adesanya on the UFC 300 card was purely common sense.

Du Plessis explained his thinking in a chat with fellow UFC star Cameron Saaiman.

Adesanya has lashed out at Du Plessis for rejecting the fight.

Du Plessis had also rejected a fight with Adesanya at UFC Sydney.

In both cases, Du Plessis was carrying injuries from previous fights.

He added that as a champion he wants to take on fights on his terms.

“With the conversations of [UFC] 300, that would’ve been a massive fight, me and ‘Izzy’,” Du Plessis told Cameron Saaiman. 

“It was on the table, 100 percent, but one thing people don’t realize is why would I go and start a camp once again injured if I am the champion? Taking risks is one thing, I have been taking risks, a lot, but why would I risk?

“I’m the champion now, and I can fight when I’m ready. I think ‘Izzy’ misjudges himself as still being a champion and he’s not. You will fight when you get the opportunity. You don’t dictate when I fight.”

Stillknocks wants to put on a show

Du Plessis added that he wants to entertain in his first title defence.

“That’s what I tell people. Why wouldn’t I want to fight?” Du Plessis said. “Do you know what the payday would look like? Do you know how the hype — that’s gonna go down in history as one of the biggest events ever, UFC 300. Of course, I want to be a part of that, but there’s one thing that matters to me more than fighting on a massive card like 300. That is being able to defend my title and doing it in a spectacular fashion.

“Yeah, I can take him down and hold him down if I want to. He can’t stop that. I can do that for five rounds. I don’t want to fight like that. That’s not the way I fight. I entertain people. That’s why I have so many performance bonuses. The way we train, I’m going to go out there and give a performance. I don’t want to win, I want to win spectacularly.”

Du Plessis claimed the UFC belt after a five-round war with Sean Strickland in January.

The South African MMA star earned a shot at the title through a UFC eliminator fight against Robert Whittaker.

Du Plessis will defend his title against Israel Adesanya in Perth at UFC 305.

Adesanya lost his title to Sean Strickland in September of 2023 at UFC 293 in Sydney Australia.

Dricus Du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya title fight set for Perth

The Nigerian-born MMA star then took a break from the sport but given his beef with Du Plessis he was always likely to end that break if there was a chance he could settle that score.

Du Plessis would call out Adesanya after he in turn snatched the UFC middleweight title from Strickland at UFC 297 in January.

Adesanya dropped confirmation of the fight on his social media this week, revealing that he will face Du Plessis at UFC 305 which is scheduled to take place in Perth, Australia.

In a message alongside a graphic which fired back at Du Plessis’ claims that he stole Adesanya’s shine, the fighter wrote: “The SUN of Africa is the same sun that lights up our planet.

“The SUN will set and will rise again until you walk into it.

“The SUN, enjoy while it shines. Darkness falls when it’s gone.”

Adesanya has won the middleweight title in the UFC twice. He successfully defended the championship five times against Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa, Marvin Vettori, Robert Whittaker, and Jared Cannonier during his first title reign. Alex Pereira overthrew him at UFC 281; nevertheless, he took revenge for the defeat in their rematch and won the title back at UFC 287.

Stylebender says he ‘has enough belts’

He has insisted that his next run in the UFC will be about settling scores not winning titles.

“I’m excited,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “It’s been a year, almost a year, like 11 months by the time I get back in the octagon. People are always like, ‘I hope you get the belt back, I hope you get the belt back.’ Like, I got belts. I don’t need anymore belts. I’m coming for heads.

“That’s what I want to do. I’m excited to come back, but everything comes at it’s own time. So, right now it’s training, chilling, working, relaxing, healing. Then when it’s time, it’s time for killing.”

Du Plessis has not fought since January, pulling out of a proposed fight at UFC 300 as he nursed an injury following his brutal war with Strickland.

Some fans and pundits have questioned the decision to hand Adesanya a title bout after he lost his championship in September and hasn’t stepped into the Octagon since.

As reported by The South African website on Monday, MMA superstar Israel Adesanya confirmed on his social media pages that he will step into the octagon to face South Africa’s middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305 on that date.

Nigeria-born Adesanya lost his middleweight title to American Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in Sydney, Australia.

Du Plessis then beat Strickland at UFC 297 in Toronto, Canada in January this year to claim the belt.

Double header in Perth

In a message alongside a graphic which fired back at Du Plessis’s claims that he stole Adesanya’s shine, the latter wrote: “The SUN of Africa is the same sun that lights up our planet.

“The SUN will set and will rise again until you walk into it.

“The SUN, enjoy while it shines. Darkness falls when it’s gone.”

UFC 305 will be held at the RAC Arena.

Adesanya will be 35 come fight night, while Pretoria-born Du Plessis will be 30.

Meanwhile, Saturday, 17 August also happens to be the date that the Springboks and Wallabies clash in this season’s Rugby Championship, in, you guessed it, Perth.

The clash at the Optus Stadium will kick off at 19:55 local time (11:55 SA time).

The Du Plessis vs Adesanya fight will be the main event on the UFC 305 card and will take place later in the afternoon (SA time).

Conservatively, there a 100% chance the Springboks will be in attendance to support Du Plessis in his title defence.

Whatever you do, clear your schedule for that day!

Early predictions:

Springboks to beat the Wallabies by 11 points

Dricus du Plessis to beat Israel Adesanya and retain his middleweight title

Du Plessis explained his thinking in a chat with fellow UFC star Cameron Saaiman.

Adesanya has lashed out at Du Plessis for rejecting the fight.

Du Plessis had also rejected a fight with Adesanya at UFC Sydney.

The fighters will now go head to head at UFC 305.

Dricus du Plessis reveals why he turned down Israel Adesanya 

In both cases, Du Plessis was carrying injuries from previous fights.

He added that as a champion he wants to take on fights on his terms.

“With the conversations of [UFC] 300, that would’ve been a massive fight, me and ‘Izzy’,” Du Plessis told Cameron Saaiman. 

“It was on the table, 100 percent, but one thing people don’t realize is why would I go and start a camp once again injured if I am the champion? Taking risks is one thing, I have been taking risks, a lot, but why would I risk?

“I’m the champion now, and I can fight when I’m ready. I think ‘Izzy’ misjudges himself as still being a champion and he’s not. You will fight when you get the opportunity. You don’t dictate when I fight.”

Stillknocks wants to put on a show

Du Plessis added that he wants to entertain in his first title defence.

“That’s what I tell people. Why wouldn’t I want to fight?” Du Plessis said. “Do you know what the payday would look like? Do you know how the hype — that’s gonna go down in history as one of the biggest events ever, UFC 300. Of course, I want to be a part of that, but there’s one thing that matters to me more than fighting on a massive card like 300. That is being able to defend my title and doing it in a spectacular fashion.

“Yeah, I can take him down and hold him down if I want to. He can’t stop that. I can do that for five rounds. I don’t want to fight like that. That’s not the way I fight. I entertain people. That’s why I have so many performance bonuses. The way we train, I’m going to go out there and give a performance. I don’t want to win, I want to win spectacularly.”

Du Plessis claimed the UFC belt after a five-round war with Sean Strickland in January.

The South African MMA star earned a shot at the title through a UFC eliminator fight against Robert Whittaker.

Du Plessis is rumoured to be holding out for UFC Africa to stage his first title defence.

The Irishman was scheduled to fight for the first time since breaking his leg during his defeat to Dustin Poirier in July 2021.

The McGregor-Chandler fight was announced on 24 May and tickets sold out in less than 10 minutes.

UFC president Dana White said on X that the welterweight bout in Las Vegas was called off because of an injury to Conor McGregor.

It is the first time the 35-yar-old former two-weight world champion has been forced to pull out of a UFC fight through injury.

In addition, the original co-main event between light-heavyweights, American Jamahal Hill and New Zealand’s Carlos Ulberg, has also been cancelled because of a knee injury to Hill.

Ulberg will now take on American Anthony Smith on the same card.

Meanwhile, White announced two additional fights, with Brazilian light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira defending his title against the Czech Republic’s Jiri Prochazka in the new main event.

A featherweight bout between American Brian Ortega and Brazil’s Diego Lopes is the new co-main event.

Updated UFC 303 fight card

Alex Pereira vs Jiri Prochazka 2 – UFC light-heavyweight title

Brian Ortega vs Diego Lopes – featherweight

Anthony Smith vs Carlos Ulberg – light-heavyweight

Mayra Bueno Silva vs Macy Chiasson – bantamweight

Ian Garry vs Michael Page – welterweight

Saaiman believes that the UFC ‘are doing him dirty’ when it comes to his numbers.

Particularly his height where Saaiman believes UFC have shaved off some inches.

Cameron Saaiman takes issue with billed height

In the EFC, Saaiman had a billed height of 1.76 metres tall while the UFC claims he stands at 68 inches of 1.73 metres tall.

This was evident when he got nose to nose with Payton Talbott and it was clear the height difference didn’t match the tale of the tape.

After making weight for the fight Saaiman took to social media to say: “Tomorrow, I get to do what I love. 

“Thank you for all the love and support. This will be my best performance to date.

“@ufc please fix my height online, you guys are doing me dirty.”

Saaiman’s last fight didn’t go as planned with Christian Rodriguez failing to make weight and the bout being contested at catchweight.

This time around, Saaiman is raring to go.

“I’m feeling great, like a million bucks,” he told UFC media. 

“I’m so ready to make weight, and ready for the fight. We’ve worked very hard for this, so time is creeping up. I’m just getting more excited the closer we get to the fight.”

Moving forward

Saaiman isn’t caught up with dwelling on that previous bout.

“I learned a lot in that fight,” he said. “We learn a lot in wins, but we will learn so much more in losses, and just going back to the drawing board, making sure our bodies heal properly.

“I had a few months to get surgery, get healed up, get patched up, and now I’m ready to go to war once again.” 

Saaiman isn’t being lulled into a false sense of security by Talbott’s laidback attitude.

“I think people actually underestimate how hard (Talbott) works,” Saaiman said.

“I think he looks like a chill, laid-back guy who likes falling off motorcycles and skateboarding, but I do think he works very hard. I think he’s super explosive and very athletic, and he deserves to be here, and we both deserve to be here. I don’t think either of us hesitated, so both of us are expecting a three-round war.

“If it finishes before that, great, and I’m going to try to make it look as easy as possible.”

Cameron Saaiman keeps evolving

Saaiman says that both he and Talbott are rapidly evolving fighters and both will continue to get better.

“In terms of the athletes you saw on the Contender Series and the athlete you see now, I think the biggest difference is attention to detail.” Saaiman told UFC.com, “I do think that the UFC is the best in the world for a reason; it forces you to evolve quickly, it forces you to step up to the plate. And you know, at the end of the day, if you can’t do that, you’re gonna sink quite quickly. I do think that we’ve achieved that, and we’ll continue to do that.”

Du Plessis was propelled into the title picture by his beef with Israel Adesanya but doesn’t feel that the former champion is a likely first opponent.

ALSO READ: Dricus Du Plessis promises to keep the judges out of proceedings in Toronto

Dricus Du Plessis expects Khamzat Chimaev

The UFC is understood to have hopes of making Du Plessis vs Adesanya happen at an event in Africa and with the title in the picture.

ALSO READ: Sean Strickland ranks Dricus Du Plessis over Khamzat Chimaev

However, Du Plessis believes that UFC fans and the top brass want Chimaev to get his shot soon although he is currently ranked eighth in the division.

“I think the UFC is probably going to want to do Khamzat,” Du Plessis told My MMA News. 

ALSO READ: Alex Pereira calls out Israel Adesanya in light heavyweight summons

“He’s a big draw and they said if he wins this fight against Usman that he will get a title shot. If that’s the fight, I would gladly as champion take out the boogeyman, it would be a massive pleasure. I think that’s probably what they want to be doing and we’ll will see if it plays out that way. For now, I have one target and that target is Sean Strickland.”

Chimaev is going to find out what strength feels like

ALSO READ: UFC to return to China

Du Plessis promised to give Chimaev a taste of Pretoria power if he tries to out-wrestle him.

“He’s going to try and take me down, and he should. I don’t think he realizes the power difference between 170 and 185,” Du Plessis said. “In terms of style, he tries to out-power everybody he fights because he wants to show how strong he is. If he fights me and fights that way, he’s going to find out what strength really feels like.”

Adesanya is set to take a break from the sport, saying he might be out until as late as 2027.

Dricus du Plessis sends warning to Israel Adesanya

ALSO READ: Dricus Du Plessis reveals who his first opponent will be if he wins the title

However, Du Plessis feels that Adesanya will get hurt if he comes back after four years out.

Du Plessis says that Adesanya deserves a break from the cage but feels that he shouldn’t stay away too long.

ALSO READ: Dricus Du Plessis promises to keep the judges out of proceedings in Toronto

“The man was active. That’s one thing we can say about Adesanya as a champion,” Du Plessis told James Lynch. “He showed up. He didn’t shy away from fights. He fought everybody, some people twice. He was very active as a champion.

“I think he deserves some time away from the sport,” he continued.

ALSO READ: Sean Strickland ranks Dricus Du Plessis over Khamzat Chimaev

“He said 2027. If he comes back in 2027, he’s gonna get hurt.

“He shouldn’t do that, but taking some time off, maybe taking a year off, that would be good for him.”

ALSO READ: Alex Pereira calls out Israel Adesanya in light heavyweight summons

No love lost

Du Plessis made it clear that he doesn’t like Adesanya but respects him as a martial artist.

“I think he earned that,” he added. 

“I think as one of the best to ever do it in the Middleweight division he deserves to take some time off and right now, as a person, I do not like Adesanya for obvious reasons. As a fighter, as a martial artist to another martial artist, a guy that I know also embodies the martial artist way, he needs to stay strong right now. He can’t lose it. You can’t lose it outside of the ring.”

Du Plessis was pushed into the UFC middleweight title picture thanks to his beef with Adesanya however, his pursuit of the belt continues even though his rival has lost it.

The South African will face champion Sean Strickland at UFC 287 in Toronto on 20 January 2024 in a middleweight championship bout.

UFC boss Dana White has talked at length about a potential event of the African continent, but as things stand any such event seems at least a year away if not more.

Will UFC come to Africa?

ALSO READ: Dricus du Plessis fires back at trash-talking UFC champion

While Adesanya threatened to drag Dricus du Plessis’ carcass across South Africa, the fighters don’t have a clear route to a bout after Adesanya lost his Middleweight title to Sean Strickland at UFC Sydney.

However, that callout and its ripples across the media have, however, brought the prospect of UFC Africa into focus

ALSO READ: The UFC’s most Googled stars in 2023

At this stage, it would seem that UFC are content to gauge interest in such an event, but it would be a more credible option right now if Du Plessis had one or two more UFC wins under his belt.

ALSO READ: Israel Adesanya wants to whoop Dricus du Plessis’ ass in South Africa

There are around a dozen African talents on the UFC roster at the moment, including South Africans Du Plessis, JP Buys and Cameron Saaiman.

UFC Africa appears to be gaining momentum and would now appear to be more likely to happen than not, regardless of how Du Plessis goes.

ALSO READ: Dricus du Plessis plans to be ‘greatest middleweight of all time’

When will it happen?

Insiders have indicated that with things as they are right now a UFC Africa event will not take place in 2023.

However, 2024 or 2025 seem highly plausible dates for potential events on the African continent.

We could also see multiple visits in a short space of time if the UFC want to touch down in different regions of the continent.

Where will UFC Africa take place

No venue has been set at this stage, but it will likely take place either in South Africa or Nigeria.

As far as what cities could host an event it seems that Johannesburg has the inside track ahead of Cape Town and Lagos.

The wider Joburg area sports plenty of potential venues, but the Nasrec Expo Centre could be the final venue given the UFC’s preference for intimate arena spaces.

Does the loss of Francis Ngannou hurt the project?

UFC have parted ways with highly popular Cameroon-born fighter Francis Ngannou, but White says that won’t affect UFC Africa plans.

When asked if they will still go to Africa, UFC boss White told reporters: “We absolutely will.

“That doesn’t have anything to do with any one guy. That’s like saying we wouldn’t go back to Mexico without Cain Velasquez or something like that. We’re going everywhere, regardless. If you look at some of the fights that we put on with the nationalities, that sh*t was unheard of 30 years ago.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES BY JAMES RICHARDSON

Since that bout, Du Plessis has been recovering from injury, and he made it clear that his biggest goal was to hopefully face Adesanya in South Africa.

The South African fighter – nicknamed “Stillknocks” – is desperate to play his part in bringing a UFC event to his home country, but so far, this has failed to materialise.

It now appears that Du Plessis has conceded he will not be able to defend his title in Mzansi, instead implying on Instagram that he will face Adesanya in Australia in UFC 305 later this year.

“Looks like someone wants another beating in Aus…” he wrote on Instagram. “I’m in, I also wouldn’t want to fight the king of Africa on home soil. Manifestations working good for you AGAIN!”

You can see the reaction to the latest Dricus du Plessis news below:

EARNED THE RIGHT TO PICK HIS FIGHT

Earlier this year, the 30-year-old made it clear that it was not possible to feature on the upcoming mega card at UFC 300 in April.

“Let’s make UFC Africa, let’s make that happen,” Du Plessis commented when speaking on teammate Cameron Saaiman’s podcast. “That is what I would love, in an ideal situation, fighting Israel Adesanya on South African soil.  Hosting that event and making history for Africa, for the UFC, for myself and for him… that’s his heritage, he was born in Africa.

“If they want to do it this year, I will wait for that fight because that is the fight to make, that is a legacy fight for both of us.

“I think it would mean the world to do this in Africa. He claimed he’d drag my carcass around South Africa so let’s make that happen. If it’s not a possibility this year… that is the only thing that would make me wait. If not, I want to fight two more times this year.”

PRETORIA-BORN STAR DETERMINED TO SEE UFC DREAM COME TRUE

Du Plessis’ latest triumph once again united South Africa behind a sporting success story, while the build-up to the fight – as well as the bout itself – undoubtedly brought a huge new following to UFC from sports lovers in Mzansi.

Prior to the fight, Du Plessis said in an exclusive interview with The South African that his “one wish” for the bout was to see it result in the UFC coming to South Africa after seeing all the support and interest that has come out of the country.

“I only have one dream. The rest is work that I’ve already done for this. I don’t want to be given anything. I’ll take it. But there is one wish after hearing Dana White talking at a press conference about possibly bringing a UFC event to South Africa … that would be the dream…. It’s not totally in my control, but being a champion and getting an entire country hyped up for the UFC would go a long way.”

Saaiman took on American bantamweight Payton Talbott on the UFC Fight Night: Ribas v Namajunas main card at the UFC Apex centre in Enterprise, Nevada.

Heading into the fight, Saaiman, 23, was coming off a loss in his most recent UFC fight when he suffered defeat via unanimous decision against Christian Rodriguez in October 2023.

He unfortunately made it back-to-back defeats when the referee called a stop to his latest bout due to punches at 4:39 in the second round.

The Pretoria-native’s fight record now stands at 9-2.

Talbott, meanwhile, maintained his perfect record which now reads 8-0.

Like Saaiman, Talbott is also a former Dana White’s Contender Series contestant.

According to the Hollywoodbets odds Talbott entered the fight as a 61/100 favourite, with Saaiman on offer at 23/20.

Meanwhile, as reported by The South African website, Saaiman’s ‘MSP’ nickname stands for “Most Savage Player” and was given to him by his coach.

Saaiman, who represents Team CIT MMA, was looking to follow in the footsteps of compatriot and close friend, Dricus du Plessis, who in January 2024 became the new UFC middleweight title holder.

Du Plessis beat American opponent Sean Strickland on points over five rounds to become South Africa’s first ever UFC champion.

Cameron Saaiman hailed as ‘the future’

Saaiman has been hailed as the future of the sport by none other than UFC CEO and president Dana White.

Saaiman got into the sport through a chance happening that saw his father working for Carnival City when he brought his son along for some EFC fight nights.

The cage-fighting bug bit instantly.

“My father actually worked for Carnival City, which hosted the EFC events – the local events here in South Africa,” Cameron Saaiman told ESPN.

“He was a project manager there and I actually just happened to be there with him at his work and that’s basically how I fell in love with the sport. I watched a few fights and then I went to my father and told him: ‘I want to do this. This is really cool.’

“As a 12-year-old kid, you can get tired of many sports. I did skateboarding for about a week and a half before stopping that, so I really jumped around doing a lot of sports, but this one really stuck.”

Saaiman says that being rated highly by the boss serves to motivate him to do well in the UFC.

“It’s an absolute compliment and it’s an honour to be called that by the boss man himself.

“If anything, I think it added a lot of motivation. Since I started as a professional, I turned pro when I was 18 and there was a lot of criticism because of that and I had to prove myself every single time.

CAMERON SAAIMAN’S UPDATED FIGHT RECORD

Saaiman (9-1-0) is matched up with another young fighter who has recently impressed Dana White.

What time is Cameron Saaiman vs Payton Talbott on?

UFC Vegas 89 or UFC Fight Night: Ribas vs Namajunas will begin at 04:00 (SAST) on Sunday 24 March.

The event will be broadcast on SuperSport as part of their exclusive coverage agreement in Southern Africa.

Then Cameron Saaiman vs Payton Talbott bout is slated to be up third on the night. However, the matchup doesn’t have a fixed start time.

Who is the favourite

The bookmakers have made Talbot favourite but this one is a close call.

Saaiman was handed a first UFC loss and a facial injury against an overweight Christian Rodriguez in his last outing in the promotion.

Talbot was impressive in November 2023 when he submitted Nick Aguirre in a stunning UFC debut. He even got props from Dana White himself.

The pairing of fighters should make for an exciting bout. Both like to come forward and have a variety of attacking weapons.

Saaiman’s aggression has previously bordered on recklessness and he was deducted points in his first two bouts in the UFC.

Against Rodriguez he was a bit more reserved but ended up getting sucked into fighting the way his opponent wanted him to resulting in a unanimous decision loss at catchweight.

Talbott hasn’t shown a fancy for the takedown in his previous UFC and Contender Series fights but he was a wrestler at high school and Saaiman’s defence in that department is shaky.

Adaptable strikers

It is quite likely that the better striker in this clash will come out on top with both men inclined to go for the finish.

“My striking is extremely adaptable,” Talbott said in an interview with UFC.

“It’s not just good and it’s not just high volume. I adapt based on what my opponent does very well. I’m very comfortable throwing when I’m uncomfortable. That, along with my cardio, makes it a huge challenge for people.

“I hope I fill the canvas with what is the new era of MMA.

He also said: “I hope I continue to fill it with being a hungry, intelligent, young guy.

“Even if I’m old in this sport, I don’t ever want to be looked at as old.

“I just want to stay hungry, and every day look for something I can improve on or something I can learn. I think fighters, now more than ever, are intelligent.” 

Saaiman and Talbott will clash on the UFC Fight Night: Ribas v Namajunas fight card at the UFC Apex centre in Enterprise, Nevada on Saturday, 23 March (local time).

Like Saaiman, Talbott is also a former Dana White’s Contender Series contestant.

Saaiman, 23, was beaten in his most recent UFC fight when he lost via unanimous decision against Christian Rodriguez in October 2023.

The Pretoria-native’s fight record now stands at 9-1.

Talbott, meanwhile, boasts a perfect 7-0 record.

The South African website has confirmed that SuperSport will commence broadcasting the main card fights from 04:00 on Sunday.

It appears that there are six fights scheduled for the main card, with the Saaiman-Talbott bout the third of those to take place.

A look at the latest Hollywoodbets odds on the fight shows that Talbott is a 61/100 favourite, with Saaiman on offer at 23/20.

As reported by The South African website, Saaiman’s ‘MSP’ nickname stands for “Most Savage Player” and was given to him by his coach.

Saaiman, who represents Team CIT MMA, will be looking to follow in the footsteps of compatriot and close friend, Dricus du Plessis, who in January 2024 became the new UFC middleweight title holder.

Du Plessis beat American opponent Sean Strickland on points over five rounds to become South Africa’s first ever UFC champion.

Cameron Saaiman hailed as ‘the future’

Saaiman has been hailed as the future of the sport by none other than UFC CEO and president Dana White.

Saaiman got into the sport through a chance happening that saw his father working for Carnival City when he brought his son along for some EFC fight nights.

The cage-fighting bug bit instantly.

“My father actually worked for Carnival City, which hosted the EFC events – the local events here in South Africa,” Cameron Saaiman told ESPN.

“He was a project manager there and I actually just happened to be there with him at his work and that’s basically how I fell in love with the sport. I watched a few fights and then I went to my father and told him: ‘I want to do this. This is really cool.’

“As a 12-year-old kid, you can get tired of many sports. I did skateboarding for about a week and a half before stopping that, so I really jumped around doing a lot of sports, but this one really stuck.”

Saaiman says that being rated highly by the boss serves to motivate him to do well in the UFC.

“It’s an absolute compliment and it’s an honour to be called that by the boss man himself.

“If anything, I think it added a lot of motivation. Since I started as a professional, I turned pro when I was 18 and there was a lot of criticism because of that and I had to prove myself every single time.

CAMERON SAAIMAN’S FIGHT RECORD TO DATE

Du Plessis wants Adesanya to make good on his promise to fight the UFC middleweight champion on African soil.

Dricus du Plessis lines up Israel Adesanya

The champion is eager for his first defence of the title to come in South Africa.

Du Plessis called back to a threat issued by Adesanya when he was the champion.

In a recent chat with the Hustler’s Corner podcast, Du Plessis called on Adesanya to agree to a fight in Mzansi.

“So you claim you want to drag my carcass around in South Africa, as you said,” Du Plessis said.

“So be a man of your word, and let’s do it.”

After earning a UFC title shot with an eliminator win over Robert Whittaker, Du Plessis refused an immediate shot at Adesanya as he was carrying injuries.

He reputedly also refused a bout on the UFC 300 card after picking up a leg injury in his split-decision victory over Sean Strickland at UFC 297.

Du Plessis says that his team are working on making the Adesanya fight happen.

He feels that the fight against Adesanya would be what the fans want to see but insists he doesn’t have a preference for his first defence of the belt.

“We are trying,” Du Plessis said. 

“We are talking, definitely. That’s what the people want to see, and that’s what I want to do. I want to fight the best guys. This is an entertaining sport.

“Who do I wanna fight? I don’t care, I’m the champion. I’ll fight whoever they put in front of me. But what I want in my heart is to fight the guy that the people want to see me fight.”

A warrior but not an idiot

Du Plessis has fired back at critics of his refusal of a UFC 300 bout.

He pointed out that as champion, it would be foolish of him to accept a fight for which he could not possibly be 100%.

“With the conversations of 300, that would’ve been a massive fight with me and Izzy,” Du Plessis said on Cameron Saaiman’s “MSP Show.” “It was on the table, 100 percent, but one thing people don’t realize is why would I go and start a camp once again, injured, if I am the champion?

“Taking risks is one thing. I have been taking risks a lot, but why would I risk? I’m the champion now, and I can fight when I’m ready. I think Izzy misjudges himself as still being a champion, and he’s not. You will fight when you get the opportunity. You don’t dictate when I fight.”

The fight is set up as one that could shape the future of the bantamweight division with both men earning high praise from Dana White.

The Future vs the Predator

While Gauteng and Nevada are worlds apart there are distinct parrallels between the two up-and-comers.

Both had their first professional fights shortly after they turned 18.

Talbott and Saaiman also used the Dana White’s Contender Series to fight their way into the UFC.

In his final DWCS win, Talbott really made an impression on the boss.

“This kid is an absolute predator,” UFC President Dana White said post-fight.

“He keeps moving forward, he seems unfazed by everything that happens, he plays the mental game, he keeps talking to his opponent. He’s only 24 years old. If this kid can keep his head together, I can’t wait to see him at 27.”

Payton Talbott, UFC prospect out to stay grounded and hungry

Talbott said that he soaked up the praise but wouldn’t allow it to go to his head. He acknowledged that he has a lot of work to do to get where he wants to be in the UFC.

“It was super special to hear [White] say what he said,” Talbott said. “I think I kind of expected it going into that fight; I have a lot of high expectations for myself. At the end of the day, Dana’s words mean a lot to me, but nothing means more than what I say to myself.”

“I said that I was proud of myself, but I could’ve done better. No one’s harder on me than I am.”

Wrestler falls in love with MMA

Talbott fell in love with MMA after joining a gym when he turned 18 having been a wrestler throughout high school.

However that grappling background doesn’t mean that Saaiman won’t have to guard against strikes. Talbott has already shown himself to be proficient in the stand-up and he counts Max Holloway and Mike Tyson among his inspirations.

That characteristic and his desire to keep moving forward make his fight with Saaiman an enticing prospect given how aggressive the South African is as well.

“My striking is extremely adaptable,” Talbott said. “It’s not just good and it’s not just high volume. I adapt based on what my opponent does very well. I’m very comfortable throwing when I’m uncomfortable. That, along with my cardio, makes it a huge challenge for people.

“I hope I fill the canvas with what is the new era of MMA. I hope I continue to fill it with being a hungry, intelligent, young guy. Even if I’m old in this sport, I don’t ever want to be looked at as old. I just want to stay hungry, and every day look for something I can improve on or something I can learn. I think fighters, now more than ever, are intelligent.”

Payton Talbott puts bantamweights on notice

Talbott wants to put the UFC bantamweight division on notice or at least be someone that others want to test themselves against in the Octagon.

“I hope the rest of the bantamweight division is saying that they’re scared,” Talbott said. “Or just that people are excited to fight me and test themselves, just like I do. If they don’t notice me after Saturday, it’s just a matter of time.”

Saaiman and Talbott will step into the Octagon on 23 March as the final bout before UFC Night: Ribas vs Namajunas’ titular main event.

Saaiman suffered a decision loss to Christian Rodriguez in a catchweight bout after his opponent failed to make weight for a ranked bantamweight battle.

What Dricus Du Plessis told Cameron Saaiman after UFC loss

Du Plessis pulled alongside his young CIT teammate and gave him some words of encouragement.

“He’s doing good… He’s never felt defeat in his whole life, even as an amateur,” Du Plessis told MMA News. 

“You can tell a guy like Cameron whatever you want, but I know what it feels like to get that first loss… especially when you put in the work that he does, that we do. We go out there to win every single time.

“What I said to him was, ‘Don’t think about fighting at all right now, because right now you are so angry with yourself and you are thinking about that loss,'” Du Plessis continued. 

“I told him he’ll know when he’s ready to go in there and go again. When you stop thinking about the loss and you start thinking about the next win, that’s when you know you’re ready… I told him, my first loss was local, it’s embarrassing. His first loss was on a three-fighting winning streak in the UFC at the age of 22. That’s incredible. I don’t even think it has any effect.”

Bigger and better things

Saaiman is a star on the up though, having recently launched his own website and YouTube channel.

He is not currently ranked in the UFC’s bantamweight division.

However, that might change when he takes on Payton Talbott.

Saaiman and the unbeaten American will clash on the UFC Fight Night: Ribas v Namajunas fight card at the UFC Apex centre in Enterprise, Nevada on Saturday, 23 March.

Next up

Talbott and Saaiman also used the Dana White’s Contender Series to fight their way into the UFC.

In his final DWCS win, Talbott really made an impression on the boss.

“This kid is an absolute predator,” UFC President Dana White said post-fight.

“He keeps moving forward, he seems unfazed by everything that happens, he plays the mental game, he keeps talking to his opponent. He’s only 24 years old. If this kid can keep his head together, I can’t wait to see him at 27.”

Talbott said that he soaked up the praise but wouldn’t allow it to go to his head. He acknowledged that he has a lot of work to do to get where he wants to be in the UFC.

“It was super special to hear [White] say what he said,” Talbott said. “I think I kind of expected it going into that fight; I have a lot of high expectations for myself. At the end of the day, Dana’s words mean a lot to me, but nothing means more than what I say to myself.”

Since that bout, Du Plessis has been recovering from injury, and he has made it clear that he is now in a position to wait until a suitable time and opponent can be scheduled into an upcoming fight card.

Dricus du Plessis has earned the right to pick his fight

The 30-year-old has already made it clear that it was not possible to feature on the upcoming mega card at UFC 300 in April. Instead, it’s clear that Du Plessis wants to wait for the UFC to come to South Africa, and for Nigerian Israel Adesanya to be his opponent.

“Let’s make UFC Africa, let’s make that happen,” Du Plessis commented when speaking on teammate Cameron Saaiman’s podcast. “That is what I would love, in an ideal situation, fighting Israel Adesanya on South African soil.  Hosting that event and making history for Africa, for the UFC, for myself and for him… that’s his heritage, he was born in Africa.

“If they want to do it this year, I will wait for that fight because that is the fight to make, that is a legacy fight for both of us.

“I think it would mean the world to do this in Africa. He claimed he’d drag my carcass around South Africa so let’s make that happen. If it’s not a possibility this year… that is the only thing that would make me wait. If not, I want to fight two more times this year.”

Pretoria-born star determined to see UFC dream come true

Du Plessis’ latest triumph once again united South Africa behind a sporting success story, while the build-up to the fight – as well as the bout itself – undoubtedly brought a huge new following to UFC from sports lovers in Mzansi.

Prior to the fight, Du Plessis said in an exclusive interview with TheSouthAfrican that his ‘one wish’ for the bout was to see it result in the UFC coming to South Africa after seeing all the support and interest that has come out of the country.

“I only have one dream. The rest is work that I’ve already done for this. I don’t want to be given anything. I’ll take it. But there is one wish after hearing Dana White talking at a press conference about possibly bringing a UFC event to South Africa … that would be the dream…. It’s not totally in my control, but being a champion and getting an entire country hyped up for the UFC would go a long way.”

Du Plessis explained his thinking in a chat with fellow UFC star Cameron Saaiman.

Adesanya has lashed out at Du Plessis for rejecting the fight.

Du Plessis had also rejected a fight with Adesanya at UFC Sydney.

Dricus du Plessis reveals why he turned down Israel Adesanya 

In both cases, Du Plessis was carrying injuries from previous fights.

He added that as a champion he wants to take on fights on his terms.

“With the conversations of [UFC] 300, that would’ve been a massive fight, me and ‘Izzy’,” Du Plessis told Cameron Saaiman. 

“It was on the table, 100 percent, but one thing people don’t realize is why would I go and start a camp once again injured if I am the champion? Taking risks is one thing, I have been taking risks, a lot, but why would I risk?

“I’m the champion now, and I can fight when I’m ready. I think ‘Izzy’ misjudges himself as still being a champion and he’s not. You will fight when you get the opportunity. You don’t dictate when I fight.”

Stillknocks wants to put on a show

Du Plessis added that he wants to entertain in his first title defence.

“That’s what I tell people. Why wouldn’t I want to fight?” Du Plessis said. “Do you know what the payday would look like? Do you know how the hype — that’s gonna go down in history as one of the biggest events ever, UFC 300. Of course, I want to be a part of that, but there’s one thing that matters to me more than fighting on a massive card like 300. That is being able to defend my title and doing it in a spectacular fashion.

“Yeah, I can take him down and hold him down if I want to. He can’t stop that. I can do that for five rounds. I don’t want to fight like that. That’s not the way I fight. I entertain people. That’s why I have so many performance bonuses. The way we train, I’m going to go out there and give a performance. I don’t want to win, I want to win spectacularly.”

Du Plessis claimed the UFC belt after a five-round war with Sean Strickland in January.

The South African MMA star earned a shot at the title through a UFC eliminator fight against Robert Whittaker.

Du Plessis is rumoured to be holding out for UFC Africa to stage his first title defence.

According to a UFC announcement, Saaiman will take on unbeaten bantamweight Payton Talbott (7-0-0) in Las Vegas on 23 March at the UFC Fight Night: Ribas vs. Namajunas event.

On Wednesday, MMA Fighting broke the story of the booking first.

After losing to an overweight Christian Rodriguez in a unanimous decision in October, Saaiman is back. After starting his fighting career with a 9-0 record, the catchweight loss was his first professional defeat.

Cameron Saaiman is ‘The future’

Saaiman has already been hailed as the future of the sport by none other than Dana White.

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The MSP got into the sport through a chance happening that saw his father working for Carnival City.

Saaiman senior brought his son along for some EFC ,fight nights and he caught the cage-fighting bug instantly.

ALSO READ: Cameron Saaiman suffers first MMA defeat

“My father actually worked for Carnival City, which hosted the EFC events — the local events here in South Africa,” Cameron Saaiman told ESPN.

“He was a project manager there and I actually just happened to be there with him at his work and that’s basically how I fell in love with the sport. I watched a few fights and then I went to my father and told him: ‘I want to do this. This is really cool.’

ALSO READ: Will UFC Africa happen after Adesanya title loss?

“As a 12-year-old kid, you can get tired of many sports. I did skateboarding for about a week and a half before stopping that, so I really jumped around doing a lot of sports, but this one really stuck.”

The stamp of approval

ALSO READ: What does Cameron Saaiman’s nickname MSP stand for

Saaiman says that being rated highly by the boss serves to motivate him to do well in the UFC.

“It’s an absolute compliment and it’s an honour to be called that by the boss man himself.

“If anything, I think it added a lot of motivation. Since I started as a professional, I turned pro when I was 18 and there was a lot of criticism because of that and I had to prove myself every single time.

Whittaker (24-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC) was defeated by Du Plessis (21-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC) by second-round TKO at UFC 290 in July 2023. In January, at UFC 297, du Plessis defeated Sean Strickland to win the middleweight championship.

Whittaker believes he has Dricus Du Plessis’ number

With Whittaker braced for a battle against Paulo Costa (14-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) in the UFC 298 co-main event on 17 February, “The Reaper” aspires to ultimately earn himself a rematch with Du Plessis.

ALSO READ: Who is Payton Talbott?

Whittaker has held the UFC middleweight championship but his reign was ended by Israel Adesanya in his first defence.

“Dricus is a hungry guy, man,” Whittaker said during the UFC 298 pre-fight press conference in Sydney (h/t MacLife). “You saw in his last fight, and I think I underestimated that hunger. I still believe I beat him nine times out of 10.

ALSO READ: Cameron Saaiman’s next fight

“I still believe I’m a better fighter than he is, that I have a better skill set than he does. But mate: big strong guy that’s hungry and willing to leave it all there? You need to match that. I feel like I didn’t do that in that last fight.”

On the list

ALSO READ: Why Dricus du Plessis’ first title defence will be against Khamzat Chimaev

Whittaker believes that he wasn’t dialled in mentally in their last meeting which cost him another shot at a middleweight title.

“He’s definitely on a list that I want to run it back with,” Whittaker said. 

ALSO READ: Dricus Du Plessis calls out Israel Adesanya ‘I’ve got your shine’

“I just didn’t turn up last time. Like I said, nine times out of 10 I beat him, and I think next time we cross paths, it’s going to be one of those nine times.”

Had Whittaker beaten Du Plessis he would have gone on to face Adesanya at UFC Sydney instead of Sean Strickland who stepped in after an injury to the South African.

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Sweden-based Spotify did not provide financial terms of the deal, but said a Wall Street Journal report that the agreement was worth as much as $250 million was “incorrect.”

It described the agreement as a “multi-year partnership.”

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Rogan signed his first exclusive contract with Spotify in May 2020, which the Journal valued at around $200 million.

“The Joe Rogan Experience” topped the list of the world’s most listened-to podcasts on Spotify in 2023, for the fourth year running.

Spotify also announced the podcast would once again be available on other platforms, including Apple, Amazon and YouTube, ending four years of exclusivity on its streaming application.

Early adopter

Rogan was an early adopter of the podcasting format in 2009, and built up a loyal fan base that is still unrivaled in its size and enthusiasm.

“The Joe Rogan Experience” is a loosely structured show, often lasting for more than three hours, during which Rogan hosts a freewheeling and informal conversation with guests.

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Over the years, Rogan – an atypical character who is part comedian, part former kickbox and taekwondo champion – has hosted prominent guests including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Bernie Sanders, along with doctors, martial arts fighters, comedians and mathematicians.

He has been repeatedly accused of giving a platform to conspiracy theories, notably around Covid-19 and vaccines.

In early 2022, several musicians requested that their tracks be removed from Spotify in protest at its support for Rogan, including American-Canadian artist Neil Young and the American singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell.

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In response to the outpouring of criticism, Spotify added mentions and links guiding users to factual, scientifically sourced information.

A few days later, Rogan was made to issue a public apology after using a racial slur repeatedly on his show.

However, the multiple controversies have failed to dampen enthusiasm for “The Joe Rogan Experience,” which remains more popular than ever.

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Spotify’s 2020 deal with Rogan was part of a podcast offensive designed to consolidate its position as the world’s leading audio content platform.

According to the company, podcast consumption has increased by more than 230 percent since then.

By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse

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ALSO READ: Dricus Du Plessis calls out Israel Adesanya ‘I’ve got your shine’

Celebrating his historic middleweight title win against the USA’s Strickland, Dricus du Plessis arrived in Cape Town on Friday as part of his belt tour.

The Stormers were delighted to welcome Du Plessis to their high-performance centre in Bellville, sharing photos on social media of the fighter in the famous blue-and-white hoops, together with Ruhan Nel, Ali Vermaak, Evan Roos, Frans Malherbe as well as Deon Fourie and his wife and child.

WATCH: Springboks rally around Dricus du Plessis

DRICUS DU PLESSIS HANGS OUT WITH THE STORMERS

MUST READ | How much did Dricus du Plessis win as UFC champ?

As part of the local celebrations, Du Plessis is taking his middleweight gold on a ‘belt tour’, which came to Cape Town on Friday, 2 February, before heading to Pretoria on Saturday.

During his visit to Cape Town, Du Plessis has been snapped in a picture with the Stormers, with the MMA superstar known to be a huge rugby fan.

Dricus du Plessis links up with the Stormers

ALSO READ: Dricus Du Plessis calls out Israel Adesanya ‘I’ve got your shine’

Love from his rugby ‘brothers’

On the eve of Du Plessis’ title fight, there had been an outpouring of support, with Springbok players also sharing messages with the MMS superstar who also passionately supported the Bok side when they claimed the World Cup title in France.

“I know I’ve got a lot of messages of support, and maybe some people think that I don’t see them, but I really do notice and appreciate each and every one. Whether it’s the Springboks or just a normal fan, it all makes such a difference and motivates me so much to have that kind of support. But of course, it is incredible to have the giants that are the Springboks coming out to share messages with me. That’s every young kid’s dream come true.

“Thank you so much to everyone who has made this dream and moment even bigger and better. I won’t disappoint come fight night, I will make this all worth it.”

WATCH: Springboks rally around Dricus du Plessis