Media Israel Adesanya wants Dricus Du Plessis in South Africa

[Doctor Grudge]

Izzy didn't duck DDP. Their time lines just didn't match and he didn't want to wait around for his next fight. I rather have an active champion.

 

[Big Tuppy Hole]

Presumably people feel this way because Driccus is undefeated, clearly the #1 contender, and was skipped over for an obvious and earned title shot, so Izzy could take a gimmie fight with someone that got MURDERED by Poatan and is coming off an unranked win and a split stinker.

The goal of prize fighting is finish your career with the least damage and most money, so I do not hold this against Izzy. The fact does remain he took a gimmie fight and had his coach try and talk their way out of fighting Driccus all together.

He took a fight to stay active on a card that was being built around him. You can spin it any way you want .

 

[RockyLockridge]

I didn't say it was but the poster I responded to had made it seems like Israel was somehow in the wrong for not sitting out and waiting to fight him. Dricus has/had an injury to deal with and wouldn't have been able to make the date. UFC and Israel both still wanted the date though and were going to find someone for Israel to fight. If you look since 2015 Israel has had 24 fights. He's insanely active, there's nothing strange or nefarious here taking a fight.

no not at all, I agree with you 100% but riddle me this....

If fighting in July, then september was realistic, why didn't izzy just fight dricus in july and strickland in september?

I want you to bare in mind, I dont fault izzy or dricus or strickland or the UFC really, but I don't think I was ever convinced that the winner of dricus/whittaker would fight for the title in september.

 

[Domitian]

no not at all, I agree with you 100% but riddle me this....

If fighting in July, then september was realistic, why didn't izzy just fight dricus in july and strickland in september?

I want you to bare in mind, I dont fault izzy or dricus or strickland or the UFC really, but I don't think I was ever convinced that the winner of dricus/whittaker would fight for the title in september.

I fully believe Israel really did want Dricus in September after DDP had earned the shot beating Rob. The timeline just didn't work out. The fact Israel is speaking his name now calling him out is like the opposite of ducking.

 

[Coconutwater]

dricus would get stopped by izzy. ugly too.

That’s black on black crime right there.

 

[Dorkman]

This is why bareman is to be ignored. He just flaps his gums talking wild shit. Izzy always wanted this fight. He just also wanted to be on the austalia card. Barring Strickland being the spoiler the fight will happen.

 

[RockyLockridge]

I fully believe Israel really did want Dricus in September after DDP had earned the shot beating Rob. The timeline just didn't work out. The fact Israel is speaking his name now calling him out is like the opposite of ducking.

Oh I'd never implied that izzy is ducking him izzy takes on all comers and has never ducked anyone ever. he has zero reason to "duck" dricus, but there was no point in all that buildup and his coach saying dricus should have to fight again for passing it up while pretty much knowing the fight wasn't going to happen in september. it's bogus. and if this is the fight they wanted to so bad like they say why not just take it in july? or wait til september for dricus?

 

[lloyd2wayne]

I don't think Adesanya really wants Du Plessis anywhere.

Wow you guys are really stupid it’s insane. Adesanya who fights often and anyone doesn’t want Dricus? Ok hater

 

[Domitian]

Oh I'd never implied that izzy is ducking him izzy takes on all comers and has never ducked anyone ever. he has zero reason to "duck" dricus, but there was no point in all that buildup and his coach saying dricus should have to fight again for passing it up while pretty much knowing the fight wasn't going to happen in september. it's bogus. and if this is the fight they wanted to so bad like they say why not just take it in july? or wait til september for dricus?

Dricus hadn't earned a title shot until he beat Rob. Many people were predicting DDP to lose that fight. Not so sure that's Israel turning the fight down or UFC turning the fight down prior.

 

[LeBron]

That would be a huge fight. UFC Africa is overdue, and won’t get a bigger match up than this.

 

[WokeWarrior]

Wow you guys are really stupid it’s insane. Adesanya who fights often and anyone doesn’t want Dricus? Ok hater

its always something with certain fighters. they was hating on rampage and anderson silva back in the day too. saw it with my own eyes....
it is what it is. thats why i call em out when they try to D ride later on. suddenly everybody is an anderson silva fan aint no dam way chael was suppose to have
THAT many supporters. i also remember DANA WANTING CHAEL TO BEAT ANDERSON TOO. i def remember that do you. thats why i got no love
for dana hes FAKE.

 

[RockyLockridge]

Dricus hadn't earned a title shot until he beat Rob. Many people were predicting DDP to lose that fight. Not so sure that's Israel turning the fight down or UFC turning the fight down prior.

I disagree, I think you could have just given him the shot with the back to back finishes over till and brunson, You definately can if you can give one to strickland right now.

 

[Prince Nephilim]

Absolutely love it…Izzy’s gonna go back to his homeland and beat Plessi there.

 

[ComfortablyNumb55]

What a GOAT.

 

[rjmbrd]

Thats what happens if you are an active champ.

Would u prefer he sits and waits like other champs?

Two more months? Yes, of course.

The difference in fighting a random guy who's two fights removed from getting murdered KO'd in the first round, or fighting the clear #1 contender who is undefeated and just spectacularly knocked out Whittaker, is a 2-3 month wait.

Obviously you don't expect an absurd 60 day turnaround time for a title fight, this shouldn't even need to be typed out. So instead the champion is getting a gimmie fight that has absolutely no business being booked.

On top of all that both Izzy AND his manager make media comments saying Driccus is not #1 contender and may not get or deserve the title shot. Nothing I've written is controversial, its just linear reality as its unfolded.

 

[Nihongi]

So he's admitting that he would not be fighting on home turf on the continent of Africa ?

In his own home COUNTRY, not continent

 

[markys00]

Best Champion the UFC has ever had. Easily the most Active champion ever, never pulls out of figjts and fights the next biggest threat with no complaints and excuses.. He could have easily avoided Romero, He could complained about Pereira not being worthy of a title shot.

Dude lines em up and knocks em down.

Some of em

 

[MMAFanCal]

At least, Adesanya has come around to admitting South Africa is 'his [DDP] home country'

 

[GoshiShun17]

no not at all, I agree with you 100% but riddle me this....

If fighting in July, then september was realistic, why didn't izzy just fight dricus in july and strickland in september?

I want you to bare in mind, I dont fault izzy or dricus or strickland or the UFC really, but I don't think I was ever convinced that the winner of dricus/whittaker would fight for the title in september.

Izzy fought Silva and then Gastelum for the title in a similar if not shorter time frame.

Plus Dricus had to earn his shot, why would Adesanya have fought him in July when no one viewed Dricus as a worthy opponent?

 

[Filthy Phil]

Pls do tell, you seem to know something us in SA don't know.....

Oh, I’m genuinely curious. All the news about SA is about how everything is f#cked and how you have rolling blackouts etc. What’s the situation on the ground?