Israel Adesanya claims Dricus du Plessis could miss out on UFC title fight: ‘He’s not calling the shots, I am’

Dricus du Plessis agrees to UFC 305 title fight against Israel Adesanya looks like someone wants a beating in Australia

Undisputed middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya has claimed that surging number one contender, Dricus du Plessis may, in fact, miss out a championship fight when he makes his Octagon return – insisting it is he, not the South African, who is “calling the shots”.

Adesanya, a two-time and incumbent undisputed middleweight champion, is slated to make his return to the Octagon at UFC 293 in September in Sydney, Australia – taking on the streaking Sean Strickland in a return ‘Down Under’.

Winning undisputed gold for the second time in his promotional tenure at UFC 287 back in April, Adesanya managed to avenge a prior knockout loss to arch-rival, Alex Pereira with a thunderous second round KO of the Brazilian in Miami, Florida.

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And following recent comments from Adesanya’s head coach, Eugene Bareman, which appeared to suggest that the number one ranked, du Plessis may miss out on a grudge match with his trainee in his return from injury, Adesanya has himself stated the same.

Israel Adesanya claims Dricus du Plessis could miss out on a title grudge match

According to Adesanya, the winner of a planned UFC 294 co-headliner between the undefeated, Khamzat Chimaev, and former title challenger, Paulo Costa – could “definitely” minte themselves as the next challenger post-Strickland.

“Definitely,” Israel Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “But again, I do wanna fight Dricus (du Plessis). But he has to know, he’s not calling the shots here.”

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“That’s the thing, I am,” Israel Adesanya explained. “So, again, ‘My foot was this, my foot was that.’ Yeah – we’ll see.” (Transcribed by MMA News)

Earning the number one rank in the middleweight pile last month during International Fight Week, du Plessis defeated former undisputed champion, Robert Whittaker with a stunning second round ground strikes TKO win, before facing off with Adesanya in a heated staredown inside the Octagon. 

Do you think Israel Adesanya fights Dricus du Plessis in the future?