This was hinted at by the organization’s president, Dana White, while speaking to reporters in Las Vegas.
“You know how I love guys who turn down fights,” the league executive stated. “I don’t know what’s going to happen to him. We’ll see what happens this weekend and we’ll build off of that.”
The reigning division champion believes the South African needs two more wins to confirm his right to a title fight.
“Dricus doesn’t know the rules of the game,” Adesanya said at a press conference in Sydney. “You can’t sit back and think the rankings guarantee you anything. That’s the UFC. You look at the history of the UFC and you’ll realize that d***o happens. He thinks he can sit comfortably waiting for a title fight, but he might have to get two more wins before he gets a title shot.”
Two months ago, Dricus Du Plessis sensationally knocked out Robert Whittaker in a challenger’s bout, but refused to fight Israel Adesanya in Australia, conceding his title chance to Sean Strickland.