Dricus “Stillknocks” du Plessis is still the UFC middleweight champion. Du Plessis was successful in his first career title defence with a fourth-round submission win over former champion, Nigeria’s Israel Adesanya, at UFC 305 on Saturday night.

The first two rounds were pretty even, but the challenger Adesanya peppered Du Plessis with body shots in the third round, inching the odds in his favour. But Du Plessis, who does his best work on the ground, floored Adesanya in the fourth round, just enough to get the Nigerian in a rear naked choke and force him to tap.

Dricus du Plessis walks out with Siya Kolisi and Eben etsebeth to the national anthem ????

Dricus Du Plessis (South Africa) vs Israel Adesanya (Nigeria) #dricusduplessis pic.twitter.com/7tgFvuWg0T

— News Live SA (@newslivesa) August 18, 2024

The fight was promoted as the first-ever all-African title fight and bitter cultural dispute between the two fighters was front and center in the run-up to the fight. Adesanya was born in Lagos, but his family moved to New Zealand when he was 10. 

He has accused Du Plessis of disrespecting the “African Kings” after Adesanya, Kamaru Usman and Francis Ngannou all held UFC belts. Du Plessis has said in the past the fact the trio all live and train overseas lessens their right to call themselves African champions.

In his post-fight interview, Du Plessis apologised to Adesanya and said he never meant to disrespect the fact that Adesanya was from Africa. “I’m really sorry that it came across that I disrespected the fact that he’s from Africa, that was never my intention,” he said. “Africa would have won either way tonight. I have the utmost respect for him, warrior to warrior.”

This moment. ??????

Flip, I love South Africans.@dricusduplessis #UFC #UFC305 #MMA pic.twitter.com/aCIkKsrUxt

— Brent Lindeque (@BrentLindeque) August 18, 2024

Adesanya also had kind words for Du Plessis after the fight. “I felt strong, I resisted his takedowns well. I just made a stupid, dumb mistake on the ground, and he adjusted well to the Gable grip and caught me,” he said. 

“I’m disappointed in myself, but at the same time, I’m proud. He was just the better man on the night, and I give him respect for that.”

With this win, Du Plessis has now beaten three of the past four middleweight champions in a row – Adesanya, Sean Strickland, and Robert Whittaker.

OFM Sport/Ilse Smalberger cg