Du Plessis Recalls Training With Adesanya: “I Manhandled Him in Grappling”

• Dricus du Plessis will face Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 for a chance to face Israel Adesanya
• Izzy is the two-time Middleweight champion and is eager to take on the South African fighter
• Du Plessis cleared up some comments that Izzy made and also claimed he 'manhandled' him

Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya are edging closer to a fight against each other, but it won't be the first time they've come face to face.

The Nigerian-born Middleweight Champion and the undefeated South African fighter have been engaged in a war of words, and look destined to fight for the title in the future.

Du Plessis will have to get through Robert Whittaker first at UFC 290, but wants to be the one to dethrone Adesanya and dominate him again.

Adesanya and du Plessis grapple

Despite never facing each other in a fight, the duo have met and even grappled in training before. The Last Stylebender recently sat down with Logan Paul and explained he met du Plessis in 2014 before he got into MMA.

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At the time, Izzy was doing kickboxing and needed to work on his MMA skills, so he went up against the South African to work on his other skills.

The champ admitted Stillknocks dominated him in the grappling sessions but also stated he 'messed him up' in the striking drills.

Du Plessis' version is different

After hearing the story, du Plessis quickly set the record straight about what happened.

As noted by MMA Fighting, the South African added that he and Adesanya never did a single round of striking.

"Oh yeah, we trained in Thailand together. I think I was 19 years old at the time. He had quite a record in MMA already, back then," du Plessis said.

"He said I beat him in the grappling exchanges. He’s 100 per cent correct in that. I did manhandle him in grappling and wrestling exchanges, but we did not do a single round of striking together. Not one," he added.

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The South African believes that Izzy added the bit about striking to make himself look better.

"That was his way of saving himself. We never did striking together, not one round."

The duo could find out who wins in a striking game in September this year.

UFC president, Dana White confirmed the winner of Whittaker and du Plessis would receive a title shot against the Nigerian-born Kiwi champion at UFC 293 in Australia.

Adesanya's warning to du Plessis

Meanwhile, Adesanya is unhappy with du Plessis over his recent comments, Sports Brief has previously reported.

Izzy knocked Alex Pereira out at UFC 287 to reclaim his Middleweight title and then focused on the South African.

The Nigerian-born fighter said he hoped du Plessis would keep on winning so he would have a reason to beat him.