South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis has secured his first successful UFC middleweight title defense, thrashing Nigerian-born Israel Adesanya in the fourth round to retain his title.
Du Plessis took a flurry of body hits across four rounds before defeating Adesanya via a rear-naked choke submission to retain his middleweight championship at UFC 305 in Perth on Sunday, August 18.
BBC Sports reports that Du Plessis (22-2), after scoring some early takedowns, had to withstand a flurry of strikes from Adesanya through the middle rounds which appeared to be taking a toll on the 30-year-old South African as the fight progressed.
However, a left hook followed by three rights, helped bring Adesanya down in the fourth round. This gave du Plessis the opening he wanted as he swiftly got the choke hold which forced the Nigerian-born New Zealander to tap out.
“This man is the king of getting back up,” Du Plessis said of Adesanya, who was bidding to become a middleweight champion for the third time. “I’m still alive, that’s a bonus. I came here to die for this belt and to take a life. I’m still champion, baby.”
Sunday’s victory at the sold-out RAC Arena in Perth, Australia was the third time the South African has beat off challengers for the competitive middleweight division and the second time this year after he won with a split decision over Sean Strickland in January at UFC 297.
The 35-year-old Adesanya (24-4) was making his first appearance since losing the middleweight title by unanimous decision to Strickland in Sydney in September last year but said Sunday’s latest setback wasn’t career-ending.
“This is the best I’ve ever felt. I’m 35, I’m doing the right things. I’m not leaving,” he said.
