Critics of Du Plessis suggest he questioned Adesanya’s “Africaness and whakapapa”. However, Du Plessis insists he was referring to where Adesanya lives and trains.
“I simply stated the fact that I want to be the first residing African to be a UFC champion. I am the only residing African that is in a title contention right now in the world. That’s never happened before. I didn’t say anything about being a real African. I didn’t say he was not a real African,” he said.
“I did not say that I was more African. I don’t know where that narrative came from, but whatever. It doesn’t matter if he’s angry about that.”
“I do not care if he’s upset, what I said was the truth. And simply, where are you now? In Pretoria, South Africa, where I live and where I train.
Du Plessis said there was no racial under or overtones.
“Absolutely not. I will not even be a part of a discussion about racial undertones because I have never even closely said something like that.
“It would be ridiculous. It does not belong in this sport or in any sport.
“He (Adesanya) made it like that…I don’t even wanna be part of that discussion. Because now I’m linked to that message, according to him. And, I don’t think it belongs anywhere in the world.”
Du Plessis says even though he doesn’t like Adesanya, he rates him as one of the greatest in the sport.
“I think Izzy is an incredible fighter. I think anybody that says otherwise doesn’t know anything about the sport. Izzy is incredible. He’s nearing middleweight GOAT status, but unfortunately, that will be cut short. I just know that I’m better,” he said.
Kiwi trailblazers like Mark Hunt and James Te Huna were some of the first fighters to put New Zealand on the radar in the UFC world. The team at City Kickboxing led by Israel Adesanya has elevated UFC to another level in Aotearoa where rugby and cricket dominate. City Kickboxing has also produced fighters like Kai Kara France, Shane Young, Dan Hooker, Carlos Ulberg, and even Australian world champion Alex Volkanovski.
In South Africa, Du Plessis’s gym Team CIT MMA is trying to do the same thing.
What Du Plessis has achieved in the last year - beating big names such as Robert Whittaker, Darren Till and Derick Brunson - has inspired teammates like fighter Marino “The Scorpion” Cutendana.
“It not only means a lot for South Africa but Africa. Because a lot of people, especially in my country, they look towards Dricus and they wanna be there one day. So it means a lot for the whole continent of Africa.”
Fellow teammate Jaco Du Plessis still gets the chills seeing Dricus Du Plessis rise in the UFC world
“For us as a team, for us as a country - it’s a huge step into the MMA world. It makes us believe in ourselves more, that we can achieve what he has achieved.”
Te Ao with Moana screens on Whakaata Māori Mondays at 8pm and on demand.
