South African fighter Dricus du Plessis successfully defended his UFC middleweight title on Sunday by defeating Israel Adesanya with a fourth-round submission at UFC 305.
The highly anticipated bout took place at the Perth Arena, which was packed with 15,000 fans.
Du Plessis, who now boasts a 22-2 record and has won 10 consecutive fights, secured his victory with a rear-naked choke. This win follows his triumph over Sean Strickland in January, where he first claimed the middleweight belt.
After the fight, du Plessis expressed his dedication to the sport, saying, “I came in here to die for this belt. I came here to take it home. Here I am, still the champion.”
Israel Adesanya, a former two-time champion with a 24-4 record, had strong support from the crowd. He appeared to have the upper hand in the early rounds, using his longer reach and kickboxing skills to keep du Plessis at bay. However, the South African fighter’s persistence paid off.
Despite the loss, Adesanya remained positive. “I’m disappointed, but at the same time I’m proud because this is the best I’ve felt and looked. I just had the better man on the night and I’ll give him respect for that,” he said.
Du Plessis was accompanied to the Octagon by South African rugby captain Siya Kolisi and second-rower Eben Etzebeth, with South Africa’s national anthem echoing through the venue.
The match had been highly anticipated due to the war of words between the fighters in the lead-up. They were originally scheduled to fight in Sydney last year, but du Plessis had to withdraw due to an injury.
