‘What a weird thing to do’: UFC 305 star’s X-rated tweet amid savage trash talk
As the peak MMA promoter returns to Australia, two of the world’s most dangerous fighters have started some truly provocative trash talk.
It’s not a UFC blockbuster without a liberal dollop of trash talk, but the upcoming fixture in Perth has been foreshadowed by something genuinely bizarre.
UFC 305 in Perth is heating up with a swirl of tension, anticipation, and bizarre pre-fight antics as middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis prepares to defend his title against former champion Israel Adesanya.
UFC 305 LIVE FROM PERTH: DU PLESSIS VS ADESANYA | SUN 18 AUG 12PM AEST | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. Main Event on Kayo Sports and Foxtel is the exclusive home of UFC Pay-Per-View.
The usual trash talk has characterised the lead-up to this fight, but it took an unexpected turn when Adesanya’s pre-fight banter raised eyebrows, leaving fans and commentators buzzing.
Dricus du Plessis, who claimed the middleweight belt with a decisive victory over Sean Strickland at UFC 297 in January, is set to make his first title defence this Sunday as the peak fighting promotion returns to Perth.
His opponent, Adesanya, returns to the Octagon after nearly a year away following his upset loss to Strickland at UFC 293 in Sydney.
The rivalry between the two has been simmering for some time, but it boiled over this week with a bizarre exchange on social media.
On Tuesday, Adesanya took to Twitter with a provocative post that left many scratching their heads.
“Good morning everyone, except DDP,” he tweeted, accompanied by a photo of the two fighters stripped down to their fighting shorts.
The post, seen by millions of fans, seemed to suggest a comparison of physical attributes, namely their ... umm ... manhood ... which is unusual even in the world of UFC’s notorious trash talk.
Du Plessis responded to the tweet during an interview with Full Send MMA. “Oh wow, okay, well ‘Woof, woof’,” du Plessis remarked, laughing, “What a weird thing to do! I’ll just ask him ‘What’s that (about)?’, was he talking about size? Take it as you may.”
The tweet and du Plessis’ reaction have quickly become a hot topic in the lead-up to the UFC 305 press conference, where the tension between the fighters is expected to be on full display.
The exchange has added an extra layer of intrigue to a fight that was already set to be one of the year’s most anticipated matchups.
It marks the first time two African-born athletes meet for a title in the organisation.
Adesanya, born in Nigeria, has a large and loyal fanbase in Perth and Australia more broadly, with Sunday’s crowd expected to be firmly in his corner.
Despite this, du Plessis, from South Africa, is confident in his ability to retain his title.
Adesanya, known for his precision and striking power, has made no secret of his intentions for the fight.
Speaking to Stake earlier this week, he boldly predicted a “highlight reel knockout” victory.
“Dricus Du Plessis is a guy who fights the way he fights, but he gets a lot of success, but it leaves him very vulnerable. When you fight a guy who is very precise and lethal like me, come on,” he said.
“I think he’s going to shoot straight away. I doubt he’ll want to strike with me for too long. This is something that people always say, but I’ve shown before that I can wrestle too.
“It might not be how everyone else wrestles, but I can wrestle too, that’s why I ended up becoming world champion. I will smoke Dricus Du Plessis next week! I am a new man after my break.”
In a separate interview with Fox Sports, du Plessis dismissed recent comments from UFC lightweight contender Dan Hooker, a teammate of Adesanya’s at City Kickboxing, who claimed that Adesanya is looking “scary” in training and hitting harder than ever at 35.
“In my gym,” du Plessis said, “the lightweights don’t even get near the big guys.”
Du Plessis has rapidly ascended the ranks of the UFC middleweight division, with notable victories over Robert Whittaker, Derek Brunson, and Darren Till.
His win over Whittaker at UFC 290 led to a heated confrontation with Adesanya in the Octagon, setting the stage for their upcoming clash.
A win for du Plessis will solidify his status as the reigning middleweight champion and will give him the last laugh in what has become an increasingly strange and personal rivalry.
For Adesanya, the bout presents a chance to regain dominance of the division he championed for almost three years between 2019 and 2022.
UFC 305 - Main Card - Sunday August 18
(c) Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya - UFC Middleweight Championship
Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg
Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dan Hooker
Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Li Jingliang vs. Carlos Prates
UFC 305 - Undercard
Junior Tafa vs. Valter Walker
Joshua Culibao vs. Ricardo Ramos
Casey O’Neill vs. Luana Santos
Stewart Nicoll vs. Jesus Aguilar
Song Kenan vs. Ricky Glenn
Jack Jenkins vs. Herbert Burns
Tom Nolan vs. Alex Reyes
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