Du Plessis makes Adesanya emotional at fiery UFC 305 presser

Warning: Video contains coarse language

Israel Adesanya left the UFC 305 prefight press conference in tears Friday following a heated, emotional exchange with middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis.

After Adesanya said he would bring the belt to Nigeria and South Africa should he dethrone Du Plessis at Saturday's event in Perth, Australia, Du Plessis made a comment about the challenger's childhood. Du Plessis referenced a 2020 ESPN story in which Adesanya - a Nigeria-born New Zealander - said he didn't learn how to bathe himself until he was eight years old when he no longer needed help from his family's domestic servants.

"Are you taking the servants with you when you're going back?" Du Plessis asked.

The remark struck a nerve with Adesanya, who immediately fired back at the South African champion.

"Bro, shut the f--k up," Adesanya said. "You don't even know anything about my story. You have no idea who the f--k I am."

"I don't care about your story," Du Plessis said.

"Listen, my father and myself had to wake up at 4 a.m. and clean the banks while my mom studies to be a nurse," Adesanya said. "You don't know my f-----g story. Don't f-----g speak on my story if you don't know my story. I will show you who you are Sunday, so right now, shut the f--k up."

The feud between Du Plessis and Adesanya began over a year ago, sparked by Du Plessis declaring he wanted to be the first true African champion in the UFC. Adesanya, Kamaru Usman, and Francis Ngannou were the first three Africa-born UFC champions, but they all left the continent well before their MMA careers began.

After Adesanya was asked about the tension between him and Du Plessis, the 34-year-old became emotional.

"He touched a subject there," a tearful Adesanya said. "I do this for my family. I do this for the people I love. I will fight for you forever. I swear to God. Watch this, look, I am a f-----g human being. I am a man. I can cry and whoop your ass at the same time.

"I feel the love from the crowd. The first time I fought here, (UFC) 221, that was February 2018. That was me making my dream come true. Sunday, I'm gonna f-----g kill your dreams, b---h. I want to f-----g kill your dreams."

Du Plessis and Adesanya engaged in an intense staredown at the end of the press conference.

Afterward, Du Plessis made fun of Adesanya on X for crying on stage.

Du Plessis captured the 185-pound throne with a split-decision win over Sean Strickland at UFC 297 in January. Adesanya will return to the Octagon for the first time since a shocking loss to Strickland last September and will look to become the first three-time champion in UFC middleweight history.