Dricus du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya fight time and who go win UFC ...
16 August 2024
Di UFC don place di bitter cultural dispute between Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya front and centre for im build-up to di promotion of di first ever all-African title fight wey go happun in di early hours of Sunday morning.
Adesanya, wey don tok about im "beautiful childhood" for Lagos bifor e move to New Zealand at di age of 10, don accuse Du Plessis of disrespecting di so-called 'African Kings'.
Dem bin give di title to di 35-year-old alongside Kamaru Usman and Francis Ngannou wen di three of dem hold UFC belts.
"Di belts dey ever go to Africa?" Du Plessis tok, na im be di first UFC South Africa champion in January.
Di 30-year-old believe say di fact say Adesanya, Usman and Ngannou all live and train overseas lessen dia right to call demselves African champions.
Afta Du Plessis beat Robert Whittaker for July last year, e wan fight Adesanya for di octagon inside face-off one commentator don call "di battle for Africa".
Adesanya, wey dey fight from New Zealand, don say beating Du Plessis dey more important dan winning middleweight title wey e don hold twice bifor.
Im opponent don repeatedly counter say na im be di true African champion becos im dey based for di continent.
As well as for bragging rights, di fight carry significance for di future of mixed martial arts (MMA) for Africa, as UFC President Dana White get plans to hold events di continent.
Africa future fighters
Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images
For di Wellness Martial Arts Academy inside di National Stadium in Lagos, Coach John Anene don see as fighters dey eager to follow in di footsteps of Adesanya and Usman, wey dem nickname di 'Nigerian Nightmare'.
For now, im say, MMA dey progress rather dan thriving in Nigeria, wit no existing system to train fighters to become round across key skills such as striking and groundwork.
"Facilities still dey challenging for most of us," Anene tell BBC Sport Africa.
"But we get athletes wey fit make us proud? Yes, we get a lot of strong pipo here."
Ngannou charitable foundation build and open Cameroon first full MMA gym for 2019, and Usman announce plan in 2022 to create facility for di University of Lagos.
Du Plessis train for di CIT Performance Institute for Pretoria, wia coach Stephan de la Rey say im success get "unbelievable" impact on di way di public dey see di sport.
E don see boost in both participation and confidence wia newcomers fit build dia career in MMA.
Nkazimulo Zulu, two-weight champion for South Africa Extreme Fighting Championship, say Du Plessis dey give personal support to athletes for di CIT.
Zulu wan become UFC champion and e dey urge di govment to help, e add say MMA fit become as big as rugby union for South Africa.
"We just need our govment to invest in sport becos we go get lot of champions," im tell BBC Sport Africa.
"Dis gym don prove say we fit produce champions and world-class fighters.
"E fit commot young boys wey dey do wrong tins from street. I bin dey get short temper but MMA don teach me discipline."
UFC eye 'incredible' event
Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images
Di UFC see Africa as huge market wit rapidly growing audience but, despite long talking about di idea, di organisation neva hold event on di continent during im 31-year history.
Du Plessis and Adesanya meeting for Perth dis weekend go be di latest UFC card wey dem Australia got host, and dem don repeatedly visit Asia, Europe, South America and di Middle East.
Australia don host rugby union match against South Africa earlier on Saturday, and di involvement of Super Sport, one of di UFC broadcast partners in Africa, don lead to plan for crossover events.
One of di first go involve Springboks icons Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth, wey go accompany Du Plessis to di octagon ahead of im battle wit Adesanya.
In di build-up, White don say di fight go take place for South Africa if Du Plessis win.
"Na sometin Dana and di team don tok about a lot ova di last year, and certainly dem get determination for am to happun soon," UFC executive David Shaw tok about dia plan for Africa.
"We don see our fanbase for Africa grow ova di years, wit South Africa and Nigeria as two of di stand-out kontris.
"Adesanya na real star - not just for Africa but on a global level.
"We dey look forward to delivering incredible event [in Africa] wey go certainly get significant impact on di region."
Du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya fight time
Di middleweight fight between Du Plessis and Adesanya na di main event for UFC 305 and e go start by 03:00am Nigeria time.
Cable TV channel Supersport say dem go air di 'battle for Africa' match for dia station.
UFC 305: Who go win?
Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images
Predictions on who go win depend on di gym you dey - although Du Plessis and Adesanya allies tend to be admirers of both fighters.
If dem raise Adesanya hand in victory, e go dey above di tattoo on im chest showing di drawing of Africa wit Nigeria highlight.
If Du Plessis win im 10th fight for one row, tok go increase as South Africa fit become di first African UFC hosts.
Anene feel say di focus on Du Plessis and Adesanya fight ova Africa na marketing strategy - but good one.
"We go get to know a lot about MMA for Africa through dis fight," e tok.
Top-rank South African strawweight Bokang Masunyane, wey once live for one charity centre for vulnerable youths for Johannesburg and wey train for Du Plessis' gym, agree.
"E dey beautiful becos e dey live in and fight outside of Africa.
"Eyes dey a lot more on African fighters, e dey amazing."
