UFC 305 is scheduled to take place this Sunday at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. Israel Adesanya will challenge Dricus Du Plessis for the UFC Middleweight Championship in the main event of the show.
During the UFC 305 pre-fight press conference, Israel Adesanya said that he will bring the Middleweight Title to Nigeria, South Africa, and New Zealand after beating Dricus Du Plessis. However, a reply from Du Plessis got under the skin of Adesanya.
The Middleweight Champion said, “Are you taking the servants with you when you’re going back [to Africa with the title]?” (It was a reference to Adesanya's 2020 ESPN interview, in which Adesanya stated that he didn't learn how to bathe himself until he was 8, when he insisted he no longer needed the aid of the family's domestic servants.)
Adesanya responded, “Listen, my father and myself had to wake up at 4 a.m. and clean the banks while my mom studies to be a nurse. You don’t know my f--king story. Don’t f--king speak of my story if you don’t know my story. I will show you who you are Sunday so right now, shut the f--k up!”
Both fighters then argued over who was the true African champion. Israel Adesanya ended the press conference in tears.
“He touched a subject there because I do this for my family. I do this for the people I love, and I will fight for you forever. I swear to God. Look, I’m a f--king human being. I’m a man. I can cry and whoop you’re a-s at the same time. I feel the love from the crowd. The first time I fought here, [UFC] 221, that was February 2018, that was me making my dream come true. Sunday, I’m going to f--king k-ll your dreams, b-tch!”
On X, Dricus Du Plessis stated the following:
“Come on guys stop crying at the press conferences it’s not that serious 🤣”
— JustTheFights3 (@JustTheFights3) August 16, 2024
🗣️: "I can cry and whoop your a** at the same time!"
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) August 16, 2024
Israel Adesanya with one last word for Dricus Du Plessis... #UFC305 pic.twitter.com/mfCstEQo3M
Come on guys stop crying at the press conferences it’s not that serious 🤣
— Dricus Du Plessis (@dricusduplessis) August 16, 2024