South African fighter Dricus Du Plessis went to apologise to Isreal Adesanya’s parents after his victory over the Nigerian UFC fighter.
Sports Buddy recently covered a report with a video where Adesanya tapped out after a neck-crushing choke from Du Plessis in the fourth round during the UFC 305 fight at Perth, Australia’s RAC Arena, in the early hours of Sunday.
Du Plessis meets Isreal Adesanya’s parents
Du Plessis, after his victory, paid respect to Adesanya, a top-10 UFC fighter in 2024, putting their differences, which had been characterised by one of the most heated buildups to a UFC fight, aside.
The South African fighter gifted Izzy his jacket as both fighters hugged, while the Nigerian raised Du Plessis hand as a sign of mutual respect.
But Du Plessis didn’t stop there. The newly-crowned champion, accompanied by his girlfriend, Vasti Spiller, went up to Adesanya’s Yoruba parents.
In a heartfelt moment, as seen in a video posted by MMA Junkie on X, Du Plessis hugged them and apologized for any offense he might have caused during the buildup to the fight.
With genuine humility, Du Plessis thanked them for “for raising a warrior,” like Adesanya. He even wished them well and hoped they “enjoy the whole time here.”
Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya share an incredible backstage moment after #UFC305 and embrace each other families. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Dsu7btTZyV
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) August 18, 2024
This comes after a heated exchange during a press conference in the build-up to the fight. An emotional Isreal Adesanya had expressed displeasure with Du Plessis’ jibe involving his family.
However, with Du Plessis’ apology, it appears both fighters have moved on from that grudge.
