Israel Adesanya is Back! Facing Rival in Title Match
After nearly a year since his last UFC fight, Israel “The Last Stylebender” Adesanya is finally booked for a new match!
In his last appearance, Adesanya lost the middleweight title on home soil to Sean Strickland. Since then, there has been much speculation about who Adesanya would face next and when he would return to the UFC.
The Build-Up to the Return
After Strickland won the title at UFC 293 via unanimous decision, he faced Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297 in a controversial match that Du Plessis won by split decision. The close nature of the fight immediately sparked talk of a rematch. However, Strickland hinted multiple times that Adesanya was the next in line, leading to Strickland instead facing Paulo Costa.
Despite not getting an immediate rematch after UFC 297, Strickland remains the number one contender in the middleweight division. He likely has a title shot on the horizon, considering his strong arguments for challenging both Du Plessis and Adesanya.
Adesanya vs. Du Plessis at UFC 305
Now, Israel Adesanya has confirmed his return to the UFC, and it comes as no surprise that he will face Dricus Du Plessis in a middleweight title bout. The rivalry between Adesanya and Du Plessis has been brewing for some time, with the UFC stoking the flames by allowing Adesanya into the octagon alongside the South African during UFC 290, where Du Plessis had just defeated Robert Whittaker.
“Stylebender” announced the title match via Instagram, and it didn’t take long for the champion to share his own post. In his Instagram post, Adesanya wrote:
“Afrika’s SOL is the same sun that lights up our planet. THE SUN will set and rise again until you walk into it. THE SUN, enjoy it while it shines. Darkness falls when it’s gone.”
TRENDING:
- CRIS CYBORG DELIVERS DEVASTATING KNOCKOUT IN BOXING RING
- WILL FANS GET A REFUND AFTER MCGREGOR’S PULLOUT?
- JOSEFINE “THUNDER” KNUTSSON: “I’M HERE TO FIGHT AND GIVE A WAR”…
Visa detta inlägg på Instagram
Confirmation and Fan Reactions
Although both Adesanya and Du Plessis have been vocal about the match in recent months, UFC fans had an additional source of confirmation when UFC President Dana White shared a video announcing Conor McGregor’s withdrawal from UFC 303. Observant fans noticed that the planning board for UFC 305 was visible in the corner of the video, revealing Adesanya as the headliner. Given that UFC rarely holds pay-per-view events without a title on the line, Du Plessis was the obvious opponent.
There was much speculation about where the Adesanya vs. Du Plessis match would take place, with many hoping it would be held in Africa for the first time. However, the fight is now booked for Perth, Australia, on August 18, the same location where Adesanya lost his belt in his last match.
For further details, visit MMAnytt.se
