Tensions have always been high between current middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya, and the two will finally settle their feud in the UFC 305 main event on August 18.
For a while, it seemed as though the highly anticipated matchup between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya wouldn’t come to fruition, after Du Plessis turned down the fight for UFC 293, and Adesanya went on to lose the title.
Despite that, after ending Sean Strickland‘s brief title reign earlier this year, ‘Stillknocks’ made the fight a possibility again, with the feud finally scheduled to be settled at UFC 305.
Du Plessis questions why Adesanya hasn’t retired having already reached his pinnacle
‘The Last Stylebender’ is regarded by many as the greatest middleweight fighter of all time after an extremely impressive three-year title reign.
During his reign, the 35-year-old defeated almost every contender that was put in front of him, defending his title six times, until the awkward puzzle of Strickland presented himself.
With that, Du Plessis has questioned why Adesanya hasn’t retired from the sport, claiming he has already reached his pinnacle and won’t be able to surpass the success he has already had.
Following his loss to Strickland, the Kiwi explained that he was going to take a considerable amount of time away from fighting to try and sort out ongoing injuries he has always had. Du Plessis, though, believes that during that time, he has lost his ‘hunger’ and ‘fire’.
“I honestly believe that it comes down to seeing the hunger and the fire inside someone’s eyes, and I don’t see that (in Adesanya’s eyes),” Du Plessis told mainevent.
“I don’t remember him saying he was retiring, but it almost gave off that and everybody would’ve understood that, he did what he had to do in the sport and he has reached the pinnacle of what he’s going to reach in his career when it comes down to his winning streak (and defending the belt), he’s never going to have that again, he doesn’t have the time to beat that so what is he doing this for?” Du Plessis questioned.
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Dricus Du Plessis believes Adesanya will retire following UFC 305
Although ‘The Last Stylebender’ is yet to officially walk away from the sport, ‘Stillknocks’ believes that following their meeting on August 18, he will retire.
“I think retiring is something he’ll do himself (whether I win or not), I’m going out there to beat him, that’s why I’m going out there. Whether he retires or not, that’s got nothing to do with me, I’m there to win that fight,” Du Plessis stated.
The 30-year-old champion has claimed that if he lands the shots that Strickland landed on Adesanya, the fight will be over and he won’t give him a chance to recover.
“If I land that shot that Sean Strickland landed, the fight was over right there, 100%. We know Strickland isn’t a power puncher, Strickland is an incredibly good boxer, very awkward and amazing jab, he throws out the 1-2 and he does it great, but he doesn’t have that starch power… if I catch him with that shot, it’s over.”
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