Dricus du Plessis handed Israel Adesanya his first-ever UFC defeat by submission at UFC 305.
The fight between the South African du Plessis and Nigeria-born New Zealander Adesanya marked the first time two African fighters headlined a UFC title match.
Despite their pre-fight tension, both agreed that Africa emerged as the winner.
Adesanya recalled a conversation with a South African taxi driver months earlier, where the driver said he would feel like a winner no matter who won the fight.
Adesanya saw this moment as symbolic of their rivalry. According to BBC Sport journalist Paul Battison, the tension between the fighters stemmed from du Plessis’ claim that he was the “first real African champion” in the UFC, sparking a reaction from Adesanya, who has held titles along with fellow Africans Kamaru Usman and Francis Ngannou.
Although du Plessis clarified he meant he was the first champion still living in Africa, the bad blood continued into their pre-fight press conference.
After du Plessis submitted Adesanya in the main event held in Perth, Australia, the two fighters made peace, with du Plessis even gifting Adesanya a jacket with the South African flag as a sign of respect.
Du Plessis also referenced Nelson Mandela’s belief in the unifying power of sport, emphasizing that this fight showed how sport can bring people together in a way politics cannot, reports the BBC.
As for the future, the UFC is considering hosting an event in Africa.
According to UFC executive David Shaw, they are aiming for 2025, as they want to make a strong first impression in the continent, but scheduling issues around time zones remain a challenge, as noted by BBC Sport.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/articles/c935yj55727o