South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis was delighted after choking out Israel Adesanya to retain his middleweight title at UFC 305 on Sunday morning.
After three tense rounds, the champ made his move in the fourth to execute a spectacular takedown of Adesanya. He then got his rival in a choke, and the Nigerian-born New Zealander had no choice but to tap out.
The victory meant that Du Plessis has now won 10 fights in a row, and if Dana White stays to his word, the champ might get a chance to fight in South Africa.
Speaking immediately after the fight, an exhausted Du Plessis said: “I came in here to die for this belt... I came here to take it home. Here I am, still the champion."
In a press conference afterwards, Du Plessis spoke about how he approached the fight, saying that when he was walking to the ring, he “wasn’t the champion”.
“You mentioned my first successful title defence and people go ‘you’re not a champion until you defend that belt’. That’s bullsh*t. You’re a champion when you win that belt,” said Du Plessis.
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“But I wasn’t a champion walking out there tonight. Before I walk out, they take the belt off me. The winner of this fight is the champion, so nobody is the champion when that first bell goes.
“I went out there tonight to fight for the world title and I became champion tonight. I went out there to fight like somebody who wanted this belt, not someone defending it.”
Leading up to the fight, a lot was said between Du Plessis and Adesanya that it seemed like the two had a disdain for each other.
However, it became immediately clear after the fight that they had a lot of respect for each other. When the final bell went, they stood in the middle of the octagon and embraced.
Du Plessis once again reiterated that respect when speaking about his rival in his press conference.
“We are not friends. On a personal level, we do not see eye-to-eye. But, warrior to warrior, after spending that time with in that octagon and what he’s achieved in the sport, it’s no secret, I respect that. After spending that time with him in the octagon, you can’t not respect that man and what he’s done in the sport.”
IOL Sport