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Israel Adesanya gave a sarcastic reaction to Sean Strickland’s brawl with Dricus Du Plessis.
During UFC 296 on Saturday, Strickland (28-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) jumped over the seats to attack Du Plessis (20-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and a brawl ensued. The pair traded insults at Thursday’s press conference, and their bad blood spilled over after Strickland took offense to Du Plessis’ comments about his father abusing him as a child.
Middleweight champion Strickland defends his title against Du Plessis in the UFC 297 headliner on Jan. 20. Du Plessis was on a collision course with Adesanya, until “The Stylebender” lost his title to Strickland in a big upset at UFC 293. Considering the criticism surrounding his face-off with Du Plessis at UFC 290, Adesanya finds Strickland’s brawl with Du Plessis ironic.
“At least he didn’t call him a n*gga,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “So, you know? Fully respectable champions and title challengers, it’s what they did. (Peoplel said), ‘Oh, Israel is so embarrassing as a champion …,’ but then this is what they do. (Strickland) sucker punched (Du Plessis). He actually did. He jumped over the chair, sucker punched him, and they had a little scrap. But I like it. I like a sh*t show.”
UFC CEO Dana White took the blame for the fight breaking out. White called himself an “asshole” after seating Strickland and Du Plessis so close together at T-Mobile Arena for UFC 296.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 296.
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