Morning Report | Israel Adesanya praises Dricus du Plessis’ win over Kamaru Usman: ‘It’s the best I’ve seen Dricus look’ - MMA Fighting

What the report says

MMA Fighting reported that Israel Adesanya publicly complimented Dricus du Plessis after du Plessis defeated Kamaru Usman in the main event of UFC Oklahoma City. The bout took place Saturday at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, where du Plessis, from South Africa, won a decision over Usman, the Nigerian former UFC welterweight champion, in a middleweight fight.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Adesanya said it was the strongest version of du Plessis he had seen, pointing to cleaner positioning, improved shot selection and a well-timed knee used against a single-leg attempt. Adesanya acknowledged he had wanted Usman, his longtime friend, to win, but said the result reflected du Plessis’ quality and credited him for the performance.

The reaction is notable because Adesanya and du Plessis previously had a tense rivalry tied to debate over African identity in MMA, an issue that also involved Usman and Francis Ngannou, often grouped with Adesanya as prominent African-born UFC champions. MMA Fighting noted that the fighters have since moved past that conflict.

Adesanya framed the fight as positive for African MMA, saying high-profile main events involving African fighters can draw attention from across the continent and potentially widen the sport’s talent base. While the article centers on Adesanya’s response rather than UFC matchmaking implications, the result further elevates du Plessis after a dominant win over one of the sport’s most accomplished former champions.