Israel Adesanya returns to the Octagon at UFC 305 after taking a while off to place dangerous recollections of his most up-to-date outing behind him.
Adesanya misplaced his middleweight title to Sean Strickland in one of many largest title combat upsets in UFC historical past final yr at UFC 293.
While the challenger had a terrific evening generally, the defining second of the combat was when he caught and dropped “The Final Stylebender” within the first spherical however was unable to get the end.
This got here as such a shock to many followers who felt like Strickland merely wouldn’t be on the identical degree because the champion, when it got here to the hanging exchanges.
Adesanya’s subsequent opponent and the present champion paid particular curiosity to this.
Dricus Du Plessis Says He Would’ve Completed Israel Adesanya With The Similar Strike
Dricus Du Plessis is far more of an influence striker than Strickland, who he defeated earlier this yr to change into the middleweight champion.
While the previous champ could also be very correct and defensively sound, “Stillknocks” has the momentum and drive to cease any opponent and that provides him confidence forward of August 17.
Du Plessis believes that he can shut the present on Adesanya of their heated grudge match in Perth, particularly if he’s capable of land one thing much like the strike Strickland landed final yr.
He spoke in a current interview with mainevent on Fox Sports activities about how “The Final Stylebender” wouldn’t have made it out of the primary spherical if it was him in there that evening.
“If I land that shot that Sean Strickland landed, the combat is over proper there, 100%. We all know that Strickland’s not an influence puncher. I’ve felt, and Strickland’s a terrific boxer, his boxing is absolutely actually good. Very awkward and superb jab, he throws that 1-2 and he does it nice however he doesn’t have that starch energy and he put him down. I truthfully thought the combat was over but when I catch him with that shot then it’s over.”
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