Israel Adesanya (21-2) and Dricus du Plessis (24-3) have an upcoming middleweight championship fight with one another that will take place Saturday, August 17 in Perth, Australia. As it is customary, the two opponents engaged in some back-and-forth trash talking during their press conference on Friday.
That is to say, it was a roller coaster of emotions for Adesanya, 35, as Du Plessis, 30, mentioned his family during the presser.
To point out, both fighters are from Africa, as Adesanya was born in Lagos, Nigeria, while Du Plessis grew up in Pretoria, South Africa.
Adesanya was asked a question of whether or not he would take his championship back to Africa if he won, and Du Plessis butted in the conversation by talking about the Nigerian fighter's family having domestic servants.
damn Dricus Du Plessis made Israel Adesanya cry at the #UFC305 press conference pic.twitter.com/4JKmv6Pcrv
— CAPTAIN (@CaptainQLF) August 16, 2024
"Are you taking the servants with you when you're going back?" Du Plessis asked. "Are you taking the servants with you if you're going back?"
Adesanya responded back by saying that he was speaking on things that he didn't know.
"What the f*** are you even on about? Bro, shut the f*** up," Adesanya said. "You don't even know anything about my story. You have no idea who the f*** I am."
Then he continued, "Listen, my father and myself had to wake up at 4 AM and clean the banks while my mom studies to be a nurse. You don't know my f***ing story. Don't f***ing speak on my story if you don't know my story. I will show you who you are Sunday, so right now shut the f*** up."
This is when things go emotional, as Adesanya looks at his family in the crowd.
😥🫡An emotional Israel Adesanya cries at #UFC305 press conference:
"I do this for my family. I do this for the people I love and I'll fight for you forever, I swear to God. I'm a fucking human being, I'm a man and I can cry and whoop your ass at the same time"
🎥@TheMacLife 🔹 pic.twitter.com/rMeOggyhGt
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) August 16, 2024
"He [Du Plessis] touched a subject there because I do this for my family," Adesanya said. "I do this for the people I love, and I will fight for you forever, I swear to God. Look, I am a f***ing human being, I am a man. I can cry and whoop your ass at the same time."
Things were already intense before Friday as Du Plessis previously mentioned that he was the first real African fighter because he still trains where he comes from, unlike the rest of the UFC fighters.
Dricus du Plessis told me he’s the only African champion in the UFC.
These are fighting words from the South African pic.twitter.com/WEncNZYWbL
— Larry Madowo (@LarryMadowo) August 16, 2024
This struck a chord with Adesanya, who moved to New Zealand in 2001. "Sunday, I'm going to f***ing kill your dreams, b****. I'm going to f***ing kill your dreams."
Israel Adesanya goes OFF on "privileged" Dricus du Plessis for his comments about being the first African champion:
"People like [Abdul Razak Alhassan] and myself who were forced to flee our own country because of a better opportunity.
[Dricus] will never understand that… pic.twitter.com/zLMNZGxHYO
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) August 11, 2024
All in all, when both fighters step into the octagon in Perth, Australia, actions will matter more than words. Tune in on Saturday 10 pm ET., when current middleweight champion Du Plessis challenges already two-time champion Adesanya.
"I was great before the belt, and I'll be great after the belt. I'm Israel Adesanya and I'll remind you guys that I'm 'The Last Stylebender.'"
Related: Israel Adesanya's UFC Record Keeps His Net Worth Growing
