Nigeria’s Israel Adesanya was not successful in his quest to reclaim the middleweight title in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), as he fell to South Africa’s Dricus Du Plessis by submission in the fourth round of the UFC 305 main card in the early hours of Sunday.
For the first time in his mixed martial art (MMA) career, Adesanya, who was looking to become the first ever three-time UFC middleweight champion, suffered successive defeats after previously losing his title to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 back in September 2023.
The two fighters were poised to enter Sunday’s bout in the 185-pound category at the PAC Arena in Perth, Australia, following weeks of tongue-lashing from them, especially after De Plessis declared himself the “first real African champion” in the UFC.
However, it didn’t go as planned for Adesanya, as the 35-year-old was met with a ferocious right hook in the fourth round from Du Plessis, who later dragged him down and sealed his victory with a rear naked choke.
The two fighters provided some enjoyment to fans in the first round, which was filled with some back-and-forth attacks as Adesanya landed a right hook to Du Plessis’ body, while the South African responded with some serious leg kicks.
The second round was mostly all Du Plessis as his wrestling and grappling abilities came into play. He took Adesanya down three times, but all his attempts to land a submission were futile as the Nigerian kept regaining his feet.
Soon after, it looked like Adesanya had taken control of the fight with damaging hooks to Du Plessis’ body, a recurring theme for the Nigerian throughout the fight. He also successfully landed an elbow in the South African’s eye, which caught him off guard and forced him to wobble.
Du Plessis, who took the middleweight title off Strickland in January, looked like the more in-form fighter as a pair of hooks wobbled Adesanya a bit before finishing him off on the ground in the fourth round.
After the bout, Du Plessis, who improved to 8-0 since he joined the UFC in 2020, paid tribute to Adesanya, whom he tagged a “legend.”
“To share this octagon with a legend… this man has done so much for this sport and I’m really sorry it came across that I disrespected he was from Africa – it was never my intention. Tonight Africa won regardless,” Du Plessis said.
“It was an honour for me to share this cage with a legend like that. I have the utmost respect for him, an ultimate warrior. Believe me, I do not want to be kicked by that man again.”
Adesanya, on the other hand, was returning to the octagon after 11 months away, and despite suffering defeat, the former two-time middleweight champion said he wasn’t leaving nor retiring any time soon.
“I’m disappointed in myself but at the same time I’m proud. This is the best I’ve ever felt, the best I’ve ever looked, I just fought the better man on the night and I give him respect for that,” said Adesanya.
“I know you all want to see me down and want to see me lose but watch this – I’m not leaving.”
