Du Plessis taunts Adesanya after press conference breakdown

UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis wasted no time trolling Israel Adesanya after the Nigerian-born fighter became emotional during a heated exchange at the UFC 305 pre-fight press conference.

The tense moment arose after du Plessis mocked comments Adesanya had made in 2020 about his childhood in Nigeria, including how he relied on domestic servants until the age of eight.

READ MORE: Adesanya ready to retrieve middleweight title from Du Plessis

In response to a question about winning the upcoming fight and taking the belt back to Africa, du Plessis sarcastically asked Adesanya, “Are you taking the servants with you when you’re going back?” This jab struck a nerve with Adesanya, who tearfully fired back, stating, “He touched a subject there because I do this for my family… look, I am a f*cking human being, I am a man. I can cry and whoop your ass at the same time.”

Come on guys stop crying at the press conferences it’s not that serious 🤣

— Dricus Du Plessis (@dricusduplessis) August 16, 2024

The press conference wrapped up shortly after Adesanya’s emotional response, leaving du Plessis with no opportunity to respond verbally. However, the South African champion took to social media to continue the war of words. On Twitter, du Plessis posted, “Come on guys stop crying at the press conferences it’s not that serious,” accompanied by a laughing emoji, clearly aimed at Adesanya’s emotional moment.

READ MORE: Adesanya issues stern warning to Du Plessis after emotional UFC 305 presser

Du Plessis further escalated the trolling by sharing a photo of Adesanya in tears at the press conference, captioning it, “I win the screenshot game.” This likely referenced a previous online exchange involving a photo that Adesanya had posted earlier in the week, which had already drawn reactions from du Plessis.

I win the screenshot game pic.twitter.com/lgxEBd5TvB

— Dricus Du Plessis (@dricusduplessis) August 16, 2024

The rivalry between the two fighters is set to culminate at UFC 305, with both competitors engaging in one final faceoff at the ceremonial weigh-ins before clashing in the octagon on Saturday night (Sunday morning in Nigeria). The stage is set for what promises to be a high-stakes showdown, with both fighters eager to settle their differences in the cage.