Media Israel Adesanya says he was supposed to headline UFC 300 against Du Plessis, but Dricus didn’t want it

[BoxerMaurits]

Israel Adesanya Claims Dricus Du Plessis Turned Down Fight at UFC 300

Israel Adesanya claims to have agreed to headline UFC 300 against Dricus Du Plessis only to find out that the middleweight champ had turned the fight down.

www.sherdog.com

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[BoxerMaurits]

Which fight would you have preferred as the main-event of UFC 300, Pereira vs Hill or Izzy vs DDP?

 

[flektarn]

Which fight would you have preferred as the main-event of UFC 300, Pereira vs Hill or Izzy vs DDP?

Pereira vs Hill. At least it makes sense. UFC can't help but make any of Izzy's opponents accept on short notice

Go beat a contender, you goof!

 

[Poirierfan]

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I don't know If anyone has posted this, but he was on Theo's podcast.

 

[Snarly]

I believe him. Dricus wanted to headline against Adesanya in Africa. Is UFC even planning to hold an event there? Which African country makes the most sense to host a UFC event? Nigeria? South Africa? Ghana?

 

[CasualBot]

I don't know I'd anyone has posted, but he was on Theo's podcast.

 

[Neck&Neck]

 

[VinceArch]

I thought Izzy was doing a sabbatical that was supposed to be a few years long?

 

[blaseblase]

As a hardcore fan I'd prefer Izzy earn a title shot. Pereira v Hill is a great matchup that needs to happen.

 

[svmr_db]

Dricus "didn't want it" because he's not fully recovered from the damage he took at UFC 297 and it's a quick turnaround, but that's not as sensational of a headline as omitting the reasons so people can assume DDP is DUCKING!

 

[Dana's Conscience]

This is why the UFC sucks. Whatever reason Dricus had for saying no could've been alleviated if these cheap bastards were willing to pay him a few bucks. Say "We're in a bind Dricus, here's a few million to defend your title as the 300 headliner.", and boom, fixed. If they're that worried about some precedent being set, maybe they can get him to sign a NDA.

 

[Fact Checker]

That’s the second time he’s ducked Izzy… Duck Duck DuPlessis

 

[Portland8242]

So Strickland did zero damage to DDP with his pitter patter style but simultaenously DDP isn't able to turn around quick enough to fight Izzy on UFC 300 which would easily be the biggest pay day of his career.

 

[Fact Checker]

Dricus "didn't want it" because he's not fully recovered from the damage he took at UFC 297 and it's a quick turnaround, but that's not as sensational of a headline as omitting the reasons so people can assume DDP is DUCKING!

Sounds nice if he didn’t already duck Izzy once… I remember Strickland stepping up and taking the fight that Duckboy DuPlessis turned down.

 

[svmr_db]

So Strickland did zero damage to DDP with his pitter patter style but simultaenously DDP isn't able to turn around quick enough to fight Izzy on UFC 300 which would easily be the biggest pay day of his career.

"zero damage"

 

[Diktaattori]

Didn't Izzy "retire" after losing to Strickland and when Dricus is on the mend he's suddenly active. Go win a fight lad

 

[nonoob]

Can't blame Izzy for slamming DDP, it's DDP's second time not being ready to fight.

DDP needs time, rightly so, to heal from Sean and to get in a full camp before defending the belt. Would love to see those 2 fight in DDP's first title defense if not rematched with Sean. An Izzy vs Sean fight winner would rock for DDP's first title defense.

 

[fortheo]

So Strickland did zero damage to DDP with his pitter patter style but simultaenously DDP isn't able to turn around quick enough to fight Izzy on UFC 300 which would easily be the biggest pay day of his career.

That's a very simple way of framing things, but you do you.

 

[blaseblase]

So Strickland did zero damage to DDP

No

 

[markg171]

Unless he had a legitimate medical reason and literally couldn't fight, I'd be fine with DDP being stripped if he simply refused to defend when asked.

You can't force fighters to fight sure, but at the end of the day they're the UFC's champions. Not their own. It's a two way street between the fighter and the promotion. If the UFC says they need a title fight for a certain date and it's doable but you won't deliver it, then the UFC has every right to replace you.