Dricus Du Plessis calls for Sean Strickland showdown ahead of ‘Amateur’ Israel Adesanya after UFC 293 shock

UFC middleweight Dricus Du Plessis calls for title shot against Sean Strickland, labels Israel Adesanya’s performance as ‘amateur’.

UFC 293 saw one of the biggest upsets of recent memory as Strickland dropped and outstruck Adesanya over five rounds. The American would earn a unanimous decision victory and now puts himself as the number one target for the rest of the division. 

The victory also puts a dampener on the Du Plessis Vs. Adesanya matchup, which had grown to be a feud filled with bad blood. Du Plessis’s own shock victory over Robert Whittaker earlier this year put it him as the UFC’s No.1 ranked 185 lber’. It was originally Du Plessis who was meant to be facing Adesanya last Saturday, but the quick turnaround from the Whittaker fight after suffering an injury would be too soon.

Dana White has made it clear that he is unhappy that du Plessis did not accept the fight and that Adesanya Vs. Strickland rematch could be next – Du Plessis still has a strong case for being the next title challenger. 

Dricus Du Plessis calls Israel Adesanya ‘amateur’ 

Making his case via Twitter, Du Plessis called for the Strickland fight next but also had to throw an Adesanya dig in there. 

“Me and Strickland had the biggest upsets of 2023 so let’s settle this like men, I’m ready. After that Adesanya can get a hiding in Africa I don’t want to fight the amateur that fought on Sat. I want to beat the best Adesanya, take some time and get your shit together first,” said Du Plessis.

Strickland likes to keep active and with barely a scratch from his latest fight, expect him to make a reasonably quick turnaround – potentially against Du Plessis?

Who wins, Dricus Du Plessis or Sean Strickland?