South African fighter Dricus Du Plessis made Israel Adesanya cry during their UFC 305 press conference, leaving fans amused.
On Saturday, 17 August, former two-time champion Israel Adesanya will go head-to-head with Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight title in Perth, Australia, in a bid to settle a long-standing rivalry.
Dricus Du Plessis Makes Israel Adesanya Cry
The tension between the two fighters began a year ago when Du Plessis declared his ambition to become the first “real African” UFC champion. The South African fighter explained that his goal was to be the first champion born in Africa and trained on the continent throughout his career.
This statement did not sit well with Adesanya, who was born in Nigeria but represents New Zealand. The two had a heated confrontation when the issue first surfaced. The topic resurfaced on Friday, 16 August, during the UFC 305 pre-fight press conference, setting the stage for a highly anticipated showdown.
Adesanya said he would visit Nigeria, South Africa, and New Zealand after the Du Plessis fight. The South African then asked,
“Will you be taking the servants with you?”
Adesanya was irked, and tears streamed down his cheeks:
“Bro, shut the f—k up. You don’t know anything about my story! You have no idea who the f—k I am. Listen, my father and myself had to wake up at 4 a.m. and clean the banks while my mom studied to be a nurse. You don’t know my f—king story.
“Don’t f—king speak on my story if you don’t know my story. I will show you who you are on Sunday, so right now, shut the f—k up…I’m not your f—king man, b—tch. You sound like a pig; I will slay you.”
ALSO READ: “Give Me My Flag”: Euphoria As South African MMA Fighter Dricus du Plessis Wins UFC Championship
🚨BREAKING: At the UFC 305 press conference, Israel Adesanya was visibly emotional and shed tears after Dricus Du Plessis made personal remarks about his family history. #UFC305 pic.twitter.com/kWtWjVwljL
— Beats in Brief (@beatsinbrief) August 16, 2024
The Aftermath
Moments later, his face drenched with tears, Adesanya explained:
“He touched a subject there because I do this for my family,” Adesanya said. “I do this for the people who I love, and I’ll fight for you forever – I swear to God. Look, I’m a human being. I’m a man. I can cry and whip your ass at the same time.”
Later on X, Du Plessis taunted Izzy:
“Come on guys, stop crying at the press conferences. It’s not that serious 🤣”