UFC 293: Adesanya vs. Strickland Fight Set in Sydney After Du Plessis Backs Out Due to Foot Injury

• Dana White announced the main event of UFC 293 in Sydney this coming September
• Israel Adesanya will defend his middleweight championship against Sean Strickland
• Adesanya was supposed to fight Dricus Du Plessis, but he is dealing with a foot injury

Israel Adesanya’s much-anticipated showdown with Dricus Du Plessis will have to wait.

“The Last Stylebender” will defend his UFC middleweight belt against Sean Strickland on September 9 in Sydney.

UFC president, Dana White announced on Tuesday that Adesanya vs. Strickland will be the main event of UFC 293.

Sources told ESPN that the UFC was hoping for Adesanya to defend his middleweight championship against Du Plessis in the main event for UFC 293.

Du Plessis recorded an impressive second-round TKO win over Robert Whittaker at UFC 290, setting the stage for a blockbuster clash with Adesanya.

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Adesanya went inside the Octagon after that contest and unleashed a verbal tirade on Du Plessis.

Du Plessis and Adesanya's feud

The bad blood between the two fighters stems from Du Plessis saying in a previous post-fight interview that he would be the first "real" African champion in the UFC.

Du Plessis argued that Adesanya and other former UFC champions who were born in Africa left the continent and now live elsewhere, while he still lives in South Africa.

Adesanya has taken offence to Du Plessis’ views, and it seemed that the stars had finally aligned for the two of them to face each other inside the cage.

Strickland replaces Du Plessis

Unfortunately for the UFC and its fight fans, Du Plessis won’t be ready by September 9 after he suffered a foot injury before the Whittaker fight, per CBS Sports.

He didn’t want to be at less than 100 percent for the biggest fight of his career, with the UFC scheduling Adesanya vs. Du Plessis at a later date.

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Adesanya wished to remain on the card close to his home country, with UFC tabbing Strickland as his next foe.

White announced the fight once Strickland’s travel documents for his trip to Australia were in order.

Makhachev vs. Oliveira rematch set

Sports Brief recently reported on the UFC 294 showdown between Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira.

They will lock horns in Abu Dhabi this coming October.

Makhachev defeated Oliveira in their first meeting at UFC 280 back in October 2022.