Israel Adesanya won’t be in the Octagon next month, but he’ll still have a close eye on UFC 319’s main event.
Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev for the middleweight title has been one of the most anticipated fights of 2025 since it was announced.
As shown in Luke Rockhold’s prediction, many expect Chimaev to have an early advantage due to the grappling threat that he offers.
However, Chimaev is aware that might not favour him as the fight goes on, and he has brought in a new coach to help prepare for that challenge.
Having already faced du Plessis and achieved plenty in his own right, Israel Adesanya was always going to have a thoughtful take on UFC 319’s headline bout.
Israel Adesanya backs Dricus du Plessis to stop Khamzat Chimaev: ‘Late finish’
Israel Adesanya recently posted his live reactions to UFC 318 on July 19, sharing his thoughts on the upcoming middleweight title fight between Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev.
The UFC is in the middle of a strong run of main events, with this bout coming just a month after Dustin Poirier’s retirement fight against Max Holloway.
The promo for UFC 319 aired during the main card, and after watching some of the build-up, Adesanya gave his early opinion on how he sees things playing out.
Adesanya knows firsthand how tough du Plessis can be. Their meeting at UFC 305 was close until du Plessis took advantage of a mistake to secure a submission in the fourth round.
‘The Last Stylebender’ is among those who think ‘Stillknocks’ has a better chance as the fight goes on and expects it to reach the later stages.
“Not bad, but I still think Dricus gets it. I think late finish. Yeah, late finish. I think Khamzat will, if he wins, it’s the first two rounds or the first round,” Adesanya said. “But Dricus is just chaotic. Chaotic good. Chaotic evil. That’s literally what this fight might be. Chaotic good versus chaotic evil.”
Israel Adesanya’s preferred comeback fight may be on hold for a while
Israel Adesanya recently told Ariel Helwani that he already knows who he wants to face in his return to the Octagon.
Coming off three straight losses, he’s looking for a rematch with Sean Strickland, but so far, there has not been any response from Strickland’s side.
“The division’s kind of stagnant. I tried. That’s the only one I want but then he hasn’t responded.”
Strickland was given a temporary suspension by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after his involvement in a brawl at Tuff-N-Uff 145, and it looks like that ban could be extended soon. So, Adesanya might wait to put his plans into action.
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