Former UFC middleweight titleholder Israel Adesanya doesn’t think the referee’s decision in the fight between Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis, which made the South African fighter the division’s new champion, was controversial.
“I thought Dricus would fight more in the middle rounds but he used wrestling at the end and it was a smart move that allowed him to steal the rounds,” the Nigerian said in a video posted on his Youtube channel. “When watching it, I thought he took the third, fourth and fifth rounds. He is now the fourth African champion in UFC history, so I congratulate my African brother Dricus Du Plessis.”
Adesanya confirmed that he was going to fight Du Plessis, who after defeating the American suggested he return to the octagon to resolve a personal conflict.
“I’m happy for him and I really like his story, but I remember what he did and I’m going to test him.”
The middleweight title fight headlined UFC 297 in Toronto went the full distance and ended with Du Plessis winning by split judge’s decisions of 47-48 and 48-47 twice.
Strickland said after the fight that the reason for his defeat was a head kick in the fourth round, because of which he suffered a serious dissection and could not see out of his left eye. In addition, the American was named the winner by the head of the UFC, Dana White, but also made it clear that the former champion should not expect an immediate rematch.
Source: https://fighttime.ru/news/item/33723-adesanya-nazval-pobeditelya-v-boyu-striklenda-i-dyu-plessi.html?rand=19907
