Today, at the UFC 305 pre-fight press conference, the animosity between current middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya reached a boiling point. During a heated exchange, du Plessis launched verbal attacks on Adesanya, including a comment about taking ‘servants’ back, which deeply affected Adesanya and led to him breaking down in tears. He responded with a stern rebuke, stating, “Shut the f*** up, you don’t even know anything about my story.”

Recently, the UFC released a video capturing the crying incident involving Israel Adesanya. Before the staredown session, Adesanya was heard saying, “Let him get that one, I don’t care. Let him, it’s all good.” After wiping away his tears, he hugged his mother, a gesture appreciated by the fans in the arena. The argument originated from a dispute over who is the true African son. This is the second time Du Plessis has caused an opponent to cry, with Sean Strickland breaking down in tears in January.

Israel Adesanya, originally from Nigeria, moved to New Zealand with his family as a child. However, he claims that Du Plessis verbally attacked “African sons” like Kamaru Usman, Francis Ngannou, and himself, fighters who emigrated from Africa to pursue better lives and ultimately became UFC champions.

In contrast, Dricus du Plessis has a South African heritage but European ancestry, having been born and raised in South Africa. Their upcoming middleweight title fight is in the final stages of development and has captured the attention of the whole combat sports world, including boxer Ryan Garcia, who is serving a ban. Garcia recently shared his prediction for the UFC 305 main event.

Ryan Garcia’s Verdict on Adesanya vs. Du Plessis

It seems Israel Adesanya will walk into the fight against Du Plessis as the fan favorite. But Ryan Garcia, a former WBC interim lightweight champion, who is currently serving a one-year ban from the World Boxing Council for racist comments, has predicted otherwise. Garcia has publically supported Dricus du Plessis in his upcoming fight against Israel Adesanya.

“I have a sense that Israel Adesanya loses Saturday. Thank me when that bet gives you a return,” Garcia wrote on X. Known for wagering on high-profile fights, Garcia previously bet on himself to defeat Devin Haney a few months back and won a substantial $12 million. Do you think he has called it right again? What is your prediction about the upcoming fight? Let us know in the comments below.