Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya share one of the fiercest rivalries in MMA today, but that doesn't mean there's no respect between the two UFC stars.
Du Plessis and Adesanya are set to meet in the main event of UFC 305 in Perth Australia this Saturday night (Sunday morning local time). Du Plessis, the reigning middleweight champion, will be looking to defend his title, while Adesanya will be looking to begin a historic third reign as champion.
Ahead of the fight, which has been in the works for well over a year, Du Plessis and Adesanya have made no secret of their mutual disdain for each other. In fact, their grudge has gotten so serious that it recently brought Adesanya to tears.
However, there is clearly some respect lingering between the two UFC 305 stars, at least as it pertains to their immense skill.
Speaking to UFC.com ahead of the fight, Du Plessis offered some rare praise to Adesanya, conceding the former champ is one of the best fighters ever.
“His career can’t be argued,” Du Plessis said. “He’s one of the greatest fighters ever. Not in the middleweight division, not in the UFC, but in MMA, one of the best to ever do it. While he’s still in the organization, I’m holding the belt, which makes it pretty evident that there’s something special [about me] and there’s something different.
“There’s definitely that extra motivation defending this title, and in a fight of this magnitude. It’s not my first headliner. My previous one I was a contender. As a champion it makes no difference. But the magnitude of this fight, myself vs Adesanya, this fight’s been in the making for almost two years.”
Du Plessis then took things a step further, claiming that he doesn't actually have bad blood with Adesanya.
“It’s never, ever personal,” Du Plessis said. “It never has been, and it never will be. There’s nothing that can be said, there’s nothing that can be done that’s going to have an effect on me, mentally or emotionally. It’s strictly business when I get in there. I go out there and I’m mentally unbreakable. That’s my biggest attribute. I go out there and I see it for what it is. There’s no insult, there’s nothing anybody can say. He’s obviously emotional going in, but I’m not.
“When it’s a press conference, I answer the question that’s given to me, and if my opponent is treating me with respect, then I will return the favor. But if you’re going to try to push me around, bully me on that mic, I will do to you exactly what I will do in the fight: I will not allow it. I think that is a big key for me and a big weapon that I have is to be able to shut down anything that happened previously, anything that happens outside the Octagon and focusing on the task at hand, and that’s winning the fight.”
Du Plessis, from South Africa, won the UFC middleweight title with a decision win over Sean Strickland earlier this year.
The Nigerian-born New Zealander Adesanya, meanwhile, has not fought since he lost the title to Strickland via decision last year. It was one of the biggest upsets of 2023.
