UFC’s return to Australia will feature some added championship star power.
Former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya announced Monday he would fight champion Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight title belt on Aug. 17 from Perth.
The event will be Adesanya’s first since Sept. 9, 2023 — marking a span of 343 days — when he lost the belt to Sean Strickland by decision at UFC 293 in Sydney.
Since then, Adesanya has made headlines, but largely for the wrong reasons.
The 6-foot-4 striker pleaded guilty to drunk driving in his native New Zealand just 15 days following his last loss, but charges were dismissed in January.
After that, Adesanya revealed he would be temporarily stepping away from competing.
“Now, I’m going to take time to look after myself,” Adesanya said on an October 2023 episode of “The Rock” podcast. “I’m not going to fight for a long time. I’m definitely not going to retire.”
Adesanya’s competitor Du Plessis beat Strickland on Jan. 24 at UFC 297 to claim his first career belt.
The next morning, Adesanya directed a post at Du Plessis, writing, “Our paths are destined to cross again. Stay tuned for the next episode, thanks for watching.”
Prior to that, the two middleweights butted heads in July 2023, after Du Plessis’ win over Robert Whittaker at UFC 290.
“I will show you where you’re from,” Adesanya jabbed as he came face-to-face with Du Plessis in the octagon, insinuating that the South African Du Plessis was not actually African.
Adesanya’s last 11 fights have all been for a title, with “The Last Stylebender” winning eight of them.
With nearly 11 million combined followers across Instagram and X, Adesanya is one of the more well-known personalities in combat sports, especially because of his unabashed personality.
The 185-pound fighter has dazzled with one-shot knockout power in the past but has also been criticized for his passive, tactical approach, which can bore fans.