The UFC Middleweight division is a really entertaining one. Division champ Israel Adesanya has been reigning as the supremo for quite some time now. He has made his way through the division and has an impeccable middleweight fight record to show for it. His old rival, Alex Pereira, defeated him at UFC 281. However, Adesanya got him back by securing a victory in UFC 287, which was his last fight.

Now, Adesanya is all set to take on the UFC Middleweight fighter known for his controversial statements – Sean Strickland. Adesanya, who had tried his hand at moving up to the Light Heavyweight division, faced his first UFC loss at the hands of Jan Blachowicz. Now his former rival Pereira is gearing up to fight him.

Israel Adesanya’s Mindset – Disses opponents ahead of his fight against his new opponent

When UFC Middleweight fighter Dricus Du Plessis started beefing with Israel Adesanya over ‘real ‘African roots’, UFC fans assumed that Adesanya’s next fight would be against Du Plessis. Additionally, rumors suggested that the winner of the fight between Robert Whittaker and Dricus Du Plessis would be the one fighting Adesanya next.

Du Plessis won that fight, to everyone’s amazement. Adesanya stepped into the ring, post-fight, and confronted Du Plessis. The two had a heated exchange. The path to war seemed set. However, a last-minute change was made and Sean Strickland was picked as the next fight for Adesanya.

The Stylebender recently uploaded a story where a voice note from what one can assume was a fan was played. Adesanya added a caption that read: “I peep game to the young ones, they listen and apply. None of you or your people believe you can beat me. Hence, why this is your BIG MONEY, fight, no balls.“.

Adesanya, who is known for having a loudmouth but also the skills to back it up, shared this in his story. On several occasions, Adesanya has stated that he has manifested a match against Du Plessis and that he wanted him to win against Whittaker so he could take him on next. But now, it seems Adesanya might have to wait before he can even the score with Du Plessis.

A Quick Ticket for Sean Strickland? Dricus Du Plessis replaced for the title shot

Although Dricus Du Plessis was the #1 contender for the Middleweight title shot, it seems Sean Strickland has beaten him to it. After his recent win over Abus Magomedov, Strickland is on his way to fight Israel Adesanya for the Middleweight title. In his post-fight interview, Strickland had explicitly mentioned that he was aiming for a title shot, but he knows that he had two to three fights before he could make that claim.

Du Plessis getting replaced by Sean Strickland, was a huge shocker for the entire UFC world. Although it is not confirmed yet, fans who were gearing up for a really ‘bloody’ war between the two ‘South Africans’, will have to wait a bit for the fight.

Dive Deeper – With Sean Strickland All but Confirmed for Israel Adesanya’s Next Fight, Dana White Informed by UFC Champ’s Ex-Opponent for a Chance of Retribution

Could this be a well-thought-out strategy by UFC President Dana White? Could he have something better in store for Du Plessis? Is Jared Cannonier next on the card for Du Plessis? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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