Daniel Cormier asks Dricus du Plessis how he’s getting his opponents emotional:
“I think I might be the problem. Obviously because it’s 2/2.”
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Dricus Du Plessis certainly has a knack for making his opponents emotional.
This initially surfaced prior to Du Plessis’ title win over Sean Strickland at UFC 297 this past January, when he touched a nerve with his opponent during a pre-fight press conference. “Stillknocks” broached the tender subject of Strickland’s abusive childhood, which led to the then champ threatening to stab Du Plessis.
Du Plessis is now scheduled to defend his title against former champ Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia. The two have long been feuding over the legitimacy of their status as real African champs. While Du Plessis, who lives and trains in South Africa, claims to be the residing African UFC champ, Adesanya accuses him of being privileged — unlike others who had to leave African nations in search of greener pastures.
At the pre-fight presser, Adesanya said he will be visiting his home country of Nigeria as part of a global tour if he wins the belt. Du Plessis cut Adesanya short, asking whether he would take his servants along, referring to an old ESPN interview where “The Last Stylebender” admitted togrowing up with servants. Adesanya was initially worked up and when the camera panned back to him, could be seen in tears, saying the champ “touched on a subject.”
About having consecutive opponents in tears prior to fight night, Du Plessis claims it’s his way to deal with bullies.
UFC 305: Du Plessis vs. Adesanya Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now!
“I said it, I won’t be bullied ever,” the South African told Daniel Cormier. “When you have guys that act tough, that wants to bully, once they get that medicine, that’s how you stop a bully as well…I’m not a disrespectful person, I know that for a fact and I won’t be told otherwise. I’m always respectful, if you’re respectful towards me. If you’re going to try and make threats on my life, make any kind of threats towards me, I won’t allow that… And also, I think I might be the problem. Obviously because its [two for two]. I’m also willing to go that route and say I take full responsibility.”
However, on this occasion, du Plessis believes Adesanya tearing up had more to do with the former champ himself.
“The man is more in his own head than I believe I was in his head,” he told Full Send MMA in a separate interview. “I just said the right things I guess, or the wrong things, depending on which angle you look from. For me it’s the same thing, it’s business, I wasn’t emotional at all, I [felt] after the press conference like I felt before… No [regrets], I take that as a 10-7 round man. Definitely no regrets.”
