Israel Adesanya's coach, Eugene Bareman, recently revealed that despite the fierce animosity between "The Last Stylebender" and Dricus Du Plessis, he shares a surprisingly warm camaraderie with the UFC middleweight champion and his team.
Du Plessis is set to make his inaugural title defense against Adesanya in the main event of UFC 305, taking place this weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.
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The tension between these middleweight powerhouses has been building for a while, and it almost reached a breaking point during their fiery altercation in the Octagon at UFC 290 in July 2023. Adesanya and Du Plessis were initially targeted to settle their differences at UFC 293 in September 2023, but "Stillknocks" was forced to withdraw due to an injury.
However, UFC 290 wasn't the first time these rivals crossed paths in public. Back in 2016, while both were training at the Tiger Muay Thai facility in Thailand, Du Plessis accidentally collided with Adesanya. Unlike their recent heated exchanges, this hasty encounter was marked by mutual apologies rather than harsh words.
Beyond the competitive tension, the animosity between them intensified when "Stillknocks" challenged Adesanya's African identity, questioning the legitimacy of the Nigerian-born fighter who now calls New Zealand home.
However, this discord doesn't extend to City Kickboxing's head coach, who maintains a positive relationship with Du Plessis...
Bareman Reveals His Unique Connection With Team Du Plessis, Distinct From Adesanya's Experience
During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Bareman shared that he enjoys a cordial rapport with Du Plessis and his team despite their complex history with the former middleweight champion.
The esteemed MMA coach recounted first meeting the South African team during a 2016 training session at Tiger Muay Thai. At that time, they established a bond that has only deepened over the years, despite the ups and downs involving his own fighter.
I was actually there; I did some rounds and had a conversation with the boys," Bareman said. "I was still fighting and sparring, so I remember sparring with the boys and having the video footage where he's [Du Plessis] sparring Volk [Alexander Volkanovski] and stuff. I’m also in the room sparring somewhere else. Eventually, I got around and we sparred each other as well. Yeah, and I had conversations with them. It was really obvious that they were like brothers, and they were from South Africa, so I remember having some good, decent conversations with them. They’re a very nice team. I can’t speak for Israel, obviously; he’s got his own history, and that’s a little bit different from my history.
Bareman further noted that he recently interacted with several members of Du Plessis' team during UFC 305 fight week and found them to be exceptionally respectful.
They've come up to me, made their way through the crowd, and said, 'Hey Coach Bareman or Coach Eugene, how are you? Good to see you again. It’s been so long. Who would have thought after all these years, after us sparring in that little room, that we would all be in this position?' I said, 'Yeah, it’s absolutely amazing.' I just wish them all the best. There’s some stuff going on, and it’s a good story, I guess. But from my experience back then and now, they’re good people.
It remains highly uncertain whether Adesanya and Du Plessis will put their bad blood to rest after their fight. However, one thing is certain: the showdown is set to deliver an electrifying spectacle for fans, fueled by the deep-seated rivalry between the two fighters.