The main event of UFC 305 features one of the biggest rivalry match-ups of the year finally take place as middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis meets former titleholder Israel Adesanya.
August 17 in Perth would have been a fight that fans were looking forward to regardless but comments that were made over a year ago, at this point, have made this one drastically more tense.
Before he was even the number one contender, Du Plessis spoke about bringing the belt back to Africa as the first true African champion because he lives and trains in South Africa to this day.
A coach of Adesanya's at City Kickboxing in New Zealand gives the champion credit for what he believes was an intentional move to stir the pot.
Michael Angove Says That Dricus Du Plessis' Comments Were Intentional
Michael Angove spoke in a recent interview with The Scrap about Du Plessis' comments that made this fight mean a whole lot more than Adesanya becoming a three-time champion.
Angove suggested that given Adesanya's personality and pride, the current champion must have known that he would get a reaction by saying what he did.
We may as well start there as that's what kicked it all off. Dricus is many things but he isn't stupid. That was a calculated statement, I make no apologies for suggesting that's calculated. You know that a guy from Nigeria with 'broken native' written across his chest, with the continent of Africa across his chest, is going to feel very, very attached to his homeland.
Clever marketing, well done Dricus, he knows the whole history of South Africa as well. That's going to motivate people, it's great, it's built this fight to a much higher level than it might have been otherwise and here we are and I think there is a pretty fair degree of animosity there based on that. Great marketing, great way to get under someone's skin and the world is now watching.
Despite believing that Du Plessis made this personal on purpose, Angove doesn't necessarily blame him for doing so.
He explained how both selling the fight and trying to emotionally manipulate an opponent are two aspects of the sport and they both matter at this level.
That's the nature of the fight game, it's smart. Everyone plays both marketing and mind games and at the highest level, at the elite level, those things can make a difference. Conor not being able to get inside Khabib's head made a difference. Conor not being able to get inside Nate Diaz's head made a difference. You saw the difference when Conor made people insane with rage versus guys who were just focused and let it wash over them.
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