Dricus Du Plessis says injury prevented him from defending title vs. Israel Adesanya at UFC 300

Middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis wasn’t healthy enough to make UFC 300.

Israel Adesanya (24-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC), whom Du Plessis called out after he captured the middleweight title from Sean Strickland in January, revealed that Du Plessis rejected to fight him at UFC 300 on April 13.

Du Plessis (21-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC) confirmed that he was approached for UFC 300, which would have been a less than three-month turnaround. However, the South African fighter says he injured both legs in his fight against Strickland and wasn’t about to defend his title while compromised.

“With the conversations of 300, that would’ve been a massive fight with me and Izzy,” Du Plessis said on Cameron Saaiman’s “MSP Show.” “It was on the table, 100 percent, but one thing people don’t realize is why would I go and start a camp once again, injured, if I am the champion?

“Taking risks is one thing. I have been taking risks a lot, but why would I risk? I’m the champion now, and I can fight when I’m ready. I think Izzy misjudges himself as still being a champion, and he’s not. You will fight when you get the opportunity. You don’t dictate when I fight.”

Du Plessis suggests they fight in Africa instead, something Adesanya said before that he was open to.

“The fight’s going to happen,” Du Plessis said. “He’s been a big mouth about coming to South Africa and dragging carcasses. I mean, that’s what he said. So, be a man of your word. Step up, do it. Let’s make UFC Africa, let’s make that happen. Obviously, that is what I would love in an ideal situation. Fighting Israel Adesanya on African and South African soil.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.