Credit: Twitter
A confrontation between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya at UFC 290 got heated when Adesanya began to throw racial slurs and accusations at the South Africa-born fighter. During their heated exchange, Israel Adesanya directed derogatory language towards Dricus Du Plessis, including the use of the N-word multiple times. This appeared to be a response to Du Plessis' assertion that he was the true representation of Africa between the two fighters.
Despite being born in Nigeria, Adesanya lives and trains in New Zealand. The video of the confrontation shows Adesanya getting into Du Plessis’s face after the latter’s victory over Robert Whittaker. He mockingly calls Du Plessis his "African brother", prompting the 29-year-old to retort that he is no brother of Adesanya’s.
Also WATCH: Donald Trump arrives at UFC 290 alongside Dana White, meets Dricus Du Plessis
Things take an uncomfortable turn when Adesanya stated he doesn’t need a DNA test to prove where he is from, before saying, "I will show you where you’re from." The heated confrontation was cooled by Joe Rogan asking Du Plessis what he thought about the victory over Whittaker and how he was feeling about his upcoming fight with Adesanya.
Watch the video here:
Du Plessis-Adesanya fight likely to headline UFC 293
The pair are likely to headline UFC 293 in a title bout, which both will be desperate to win. After winning the middleweight title in 2019 with a victory over Robert Whittaker, Israel Adesanya successfully defended his title against Yoel Romero and Paulo Costa. He then moved up to the light heavyweight division to challenge Jan Blachowicz for the belt but lost via decision. Adesanya regained the middleweight belt at UFC 287.
Dricus Du Plessis has remained undefeated since 2018, with five of his six UFC victories coming by way of stoppage. Du Plessis showcased his skills by defeating Markus Perez and Trevin Giles via knockout and emerged victorious against Brad Tavares, Darren Till, Derek Brunson, and Robert Whittaker, earning him a shot at the title.
Also read: Dana White offers UFC employees free tickets to watch "Sound of Freedom"
Du Plessis's impressive winning streak and notable victories have propelled him to the forefront of the middleweight division, making him a formidable challenger for Adesanya's title.
