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Israel Adesanya could be set for another shot at the UFC middleweight championship as his coach hints that Dana White is prepared to grant the Nigerian a rematch against South Africa's Dricus du Plessis.
The pair met on August 18, 2024 in Australia and it was not a good night for the then-34-year-old who suffered defeat at UFC 305 via submission after tapping out of a rear naked choke in what became his third defeat in four fights, and since he first lost the middleweight belt.
But he could earn a shot at redemption as du Plessis' head coach revealed the ex-champion could be set for a rematch against his client, offering a potential all-African meeting in the UFC which could even be hosted in the new champion's den in South Africa.
"We will fight Izzy [Adesanya] and Dana's talking about it," Morne Visser told Submission Radio. "I think that the rematch that will be given to Izzy will be against Dricus.
"Which makes the most sense, two Africans in South Africa. I honestly think that we going to get the rematch against Izzy sometime next year in 2025."
Visser tells Adesanya to forget about Strickland
In their fight in August, Adesanya had given a strong of himself although it was a pretty even contest. The 35-year-old eventually came into his own in the middle of the fight, in round three and especially in round four, but momentum went against him soon after.
A strong left hand from his opponent rocked him, and from there Stillknocks went on to land a few more strikes, then a takedown where he earned the submission to defend his championship belt.
It was du Plessis' second defense of the title after he stopped Sean Strickland in January 2024, and whilst Adesanya could move to win the belt back from the South African, he might also want to face the 33-year-old Tarzan instead to the disdain of Visser.
"The Izzy that faced Dricus, Sean's got no chance against that Izzy, man," Morne added. "He was the best version of Izzy I've ever seen.
"So if the UFC gives him the rematch, awesome. But I think that Izzy shouldn't waste his time with s**t like that."