Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya knows the mistakes Dricus Du Plessis’ past opponents made that he cannot afford to replicate this weekend.
The pair will collide in the main event of the UFC 305 pay-per-view, set to go down inside the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. On the line will be Du Plessis’ 185-pound gold, as he looks to make a first successful defense.
Adesanya, on the other hand, will be targeting a record third title crowning in the division — a feat yet to be achieved by any middleweight. To do so, the Nigerian-New Zealander must achieve another first.
The South African champ is yet to taste defeat on MMA’s biggest stage, going 7-0 to secure his place on the throne. Among those to fall to Du Plessis’ rise are the great Robert Whittaker and recent titleholder Sean Strickland.
But “The Last Stylebender” believes he knows how to avoid joining that list of victims, and the errors made by the likes of “The Reaper.”
Adesanya Won’t Play Into Du Plessis’ ‘Game’ At UFC 305
During an interview for UFC.com, Adesanya looked ahead to his opportunity to make history in Perth, which comes 11 months on from his shock title defeat to Strickland in Sydney last time out.
While he and Du Plessis certainly have their differences, both have expressed glimpses of praise for one another’s ability. And “The Last Stylebender” recently threw his opponent’s “spirit” and “toughness” into that mix while identifying the areas in which the South African’s past UFC rivals have failed to give him the necessary respect.
“They underestimate his spirit, his toughness,” Adesanya said. “He’s a tough guy. Also, they play his game. He makes it really dirty. And when I say dirty, it’s not in a bad way. He makes it really ugly and messy and then shoots on them and strikes from all angles and a different pace and cadence. I’ve looked at it, I’ve watched it for a while, and I look forward to exploiting it. He’s going to try to exploit me, but again, we shall see.
“When it’s time to go, when I lock in, and I’m really locked in, I destroy people,” Adesanya continued. “And this one, I’ve been really locked in for this fight and I’m going to destroy this guy.”
Having identified what he needs to be wary of, Adesanya will hope to make good on his promise to make Du Plessis’ reign a short one come fight night Down Under.
