Israel Adesanya: Nigerian UFC star ready for brutal fight against Dricus du Plessis

UFC fighter Israel Adesanya, who was born in Nigeria, finds solace in barefoot golf, but he is not looking forward to his next matchup with middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis of South Africa.

Adesanya and du Plessis will square off for the middleweight championship in Perth's RAC Arena on August 18.

More than just an attempt to retain Adesanya's title, this battle is a protest against du Plessis, who has previously cast doubt on the African ancestry of winners Francis Ngannou and Kamaru Usman.

Du Plessis' declaration that he wanted to become the "first real African champ" caused friction because it did not sit well with Adesanya.

Born in Nigeria, Adesanya views himself and other African-born fighters Ngannou and Usman as authentic representations of African brilliance in the UFC, despite having spent most of his childhood in New Zealand.

The 34-year-old Adesanya addressed du Plessis at a press conference in Perth, voicing his outrage over the South African's comments.

Du Plessis made an effort to retract his earlier remarks, but Adesanya was unimpressed and vowed to show du Plessis "where he comes from."

Du Plessis responded with a lighthearted jibe, implying that he would return Adesanya to the golf course in reference to Adesanya's recent pastime.

After a rigorous training routine that saw him fight five times in eighteen months, Adesanya took an 11-month hiatus from UFC combat to recuperate. Now, he feels refreshed and prepared for war.

The excitement around the Adesanya vs. du Plessis bout is growing as UFC 305 draws near.

An exciting confrontation in Perth is anticipated as a result of Adesanya's will to uphold his title and declare his African ancestry in opposition to du Plessis' contentious assertions.