It’s not often that UFC officials allow non-competing fighters to enter the Octagon to challenge someone who just won their bout. But that’s what happened at UFC 290, when company president Dana White allowed UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya to go nose-to-nose with Dricus du Plessis.
South African fighter du Plessis was fresh off his victory over former champion Robert Whittaker, which earned him the next shot at Adesanya’s belt. Though rare in the past, the UFC has recently been allowing more of these “next fight build up” confrontations.
What did Israel Adesanya say to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 290?
Adesanya took full advantage, shouting at du Plessis, with a profanity laden tirade that included several uses of the word “n***er,” which many people took as a racial slur.
“Let’s go n***er. What’s up bitch?” Adesanya shouted, in part. “Let’s go n****r. Yeah, n****r. What’s up n****r? What the f**k you gonna do n****r?”
Watch the full UFC 290 in-Octagon encounter between Israel Adesanya and Dricus du Plessis here.
Confronted about the situation at the UFC 290 post-fight press conference, White shrugged off Adesanya’s trash talk, including his use of such a polarizing word.
“Okay. He’s black. Who gives a sh*t?” White responded.
“I could care less. This is the fight business. Israel Adesanya can say whatever he wants to say. Who gives a sh*t? Why? Are people bitching about that? Of course they are. Too f**king bad.”
Several hours later, Adesanya said roughly the same thing in a social media video, particularly targeting critics claiming that he was drunk when he ranted at du Plessis. He denied being drunk and had some choice words for his critics. See his video below.
Dana White responds to Israel Adesanya’s UFC 290 tirade
Israel Adesanya has sharp words for his critics after UFC 290
I’m drunk on life!!! My boys kilt it!!! pic.twitter.com/Lne7qZ5EvQ
— Israel Adesanya (@stylebender) July 9, 2023
Israel Adesanya stares down Dricus du Plessis just before their Octagon dust-up
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