Israel Adesanya was aiming to finish Dricus Du Plessis in round 4: ‘I was like he is done’

Former two-time middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya claims Dricus du Plessis was there for the taking in the penultimate round of their UFC 305 title fight – before succumbing to his own submission loss against the South African star.

Adesanya, a former two-time undisputed middleweight champion, suffered a second consecutive defeat for the first time in his storied mixed martial arts career over the course of last weekend at UFC 305 in a return ‘Downunder’.

Dropping a fourth round submission loss to Pretoria native, du Plessis in his bid to become a three-time middleweight titleholder, Adesanya saw his back taken in the first of two championship rounds against the fence after finding himself on the receiving end of a lengthy barrage – before he was forced to tap after being wrapped in a rear-naked choke.

Israel Adesanya claims Dricus du Plessis was “done” at UFC 305

However, despite finding himself down on the judge’s scorecards even midway through the fourth frame, City Kickboxing staple, Adesanya has now claimed du Plessis was “done” in the round – and ready for the taking.

“He’s (Dricus du Plessis) tough, he’s stubborn that is what it is,” Israel Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “Even if he’s tired – which one was it – I sprawled on him, was it round four? Beginning of round four, I hit him with one of the meanest sprawls because he just shot and I just put his face into the mat, and boom.”

“I tried to kick his body and then told him to get up,” Israel Adesanya continued. “Marc (Goddard) was like ‘Get up’, and he laid there on the ground and took a breath, and I was like, ‘He is done.’ So I try to go for him.”