SUMMARY
- Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya were originally intended to fight at UFC 300.
- Fans were left disappointed when Alex Pereira vs. Jamahal Hill was announced instead.
UFC 300 is rapidly approaching and we have received confirmation about what the main event is going to be. With that said, it is no secret that the UFC was forced to go with an entirely different option for their headliner than originally intended. Amidst all this Dricus du Plessis has given his take on the situation.
For those unaware, ‘Stillknocks’ claimed the middleweight championship at UFC 297 earlier this year. Whilst the split decision win against Sean Strickland was heavily refuted, the South African has owned the win and refuses to believe otherwise. With that said, there was the question about who he will defend his title against next, and when. For the most part, all signs pointed to Israel Adesanya and UFC 300.
Alex Pereira will face Jamahal Hill in the main event of #UFC300, Dana White announced. pic.twitter.com/hPmgj3m3c9
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 18, 2024
However, the fans were left surprised when it was revealed that Alex Pereira vs. Jamahal Hill would be the UFC 300 headliner instead. Originally intended for UFC 301 in Brazil, the UFC was seemingly forced to pre-pone it due to a lack of a better option for the headliner. As Dricus reveals, the heavily touted showdown between himself and Izzy was very much on the table.
Dricus du Plessis reveals the reason behind his absence from UFC 300
Previously, there was a lot of talk, immediately after his title win, whether Dricus du Plessis would make a remarkable turnaround for UFC 300. With a clear opponent, rivalry, and backstory already present, the fight would have made the icing on the cake for such a special event. However, many were resigned to the fact that Du Plessis would not risk it, especially after the brutal war against Sean Strickland.
Speaking on a podcast with teammate and fellow UFC fighter Cameron Saimaan, Dricus revealed that the offer to fight at UFC 300 was on the table. However, considering his injuries, it would not make much sense for him to start a training camp, that too on short notice. “Why would I start a camp injured if I am the champion? I’m the champion now, I can fight when I’m ready”.
Further, the South African added, “I think Izzy misjudges himself as still being a champion and he’s not. You will fight when you get the opportunity, you don’t dictate when I fight”. Although the fight won’t be happening at UFC 300, Dricus believes that it makes for the perfect scenario to bring the UFC to Africa. With their feud mainly focusing on their race and ethnicity, the two ‘Africans’ duking it out in Africa makes a lot of sense.
Israel Adesanya claims he was ready to step in and fight at UFC 300
On the other hand, Israel Adesanya was very keen on fighting Dricus du Plessis at UFC 300. Having taken time off from the sport since his loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293, the former champ teased that he would be out till at least 2025. However, that was obviously not true and Izzy himself labeled it as bait. As such, UFC 300 against Dricus for his old title seemed to be the perfect opportunity to mark his return.
Having been called up for the same, Adesanya tempted and teased fans with numerous hints on social media as well. However, in the end, the cards rested with Du Plessis, who is the current champion. Speaking on Theo Von’s podcast, ‘The Last Stylebender’ shared his position during the entire ordeal. “There’s somethings that were meant to happen. They summoned me for 300, and I was like, ‘Yeah, let’s roll.’ I was like, ‘f*ck it’.”
All things considered, the former champ was soon made aware that Du Plessis and the team did not see a fight happening on such short notice. According to Adesanya, Dricus had a few ‘niggly injuries’ but claimed that it was all part of being a fighter. With that said, it is clear that the fight will materialize sometime later this year. Should both fighters be fit and at their best, who do you think wins the fight? Adesanya or Du Plessis? Comment below.