Israel Adesanya of New Zealand is seen in tears on stage during the UFC 305 press conference at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia on August 16, 2024. He is scheduled to face Dricus du Plessis for the middleweight title. (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
The UFC 305 press conference in Perth on Friday took an emotional turn when Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya got into a heated exchange that led to tempers flaring and tears.
The growing rivalry between the two middleweight boxers reached a boiling point when they began to debate what it really means to be an African champion.
The tension escalated further when Adesanya was asked if he would take the belt back to Africa if he beat Du Plessis.
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Before he could finish his answer, the South African made a scathing comment, taking a dig at Adesanya’s childhood.
He cited an incident involving Adesanya in which the Nigerian-born New Zealander admitted he didn’t learn to bathe himself until he was eight years old, and relied on his family’s domestic help to do so.
The comment struck a nerve, sparking an intense debate that left Adesanya visibly shaken.
In a moment of emotion, Adesanya could be seen wiping tears from his face, showing just how personal this rivalry has become.
The exchange underscored the deep animosity between the two warriors, setting the stage for a contest that will be as competitive as it is emotionally intense.
“He touched on a topic because I do this for my family,” a tearful Adesanya said.
“I do this for the people I love, and I will always fight for you, I swear to God. Look at this. Look, I’m a human being, I’m a man. I can cry and beat you up at the same time.”
“The first time I fought here (in Perth), at (UFC) 221, that was in February 2018. That was making my dreams come true. On Sunday, I’ll kill your dreams, bitch. I’ll kill your dreams.”
Watch the full exchange below: