Dricus Du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya Picks and Prediction – 8/18/2024

Israel Adesanya will make his return to the cage Saturday as he has had more than eleven months off since losing the middle weight championship in September of 2023. Adesanya is a six foot 4 inch 185 LB fighter that has spent time as a middle weight and light heavyweight during his professional tenure. Adesanya turned pro in 2010 and fights as a kickboxer with a purple belt in Brazilian jujitsu. Adesanya also has six professional boxing matches where he has amassed five wins and one loss to go along with 75 victories in 80 fights as a professional kickboxer. For more UFC action see our UFC Picks.

Adesanya is one of the best fighters in UFC history as he has amassed a 24-3 record overall despite losing two of his last three fights. Saturday will mark the 17th time Adesanya has stepped into the cage where he currently sits with a 13-3 record overall in the promotion. Prior to his UFC debut Adesanya  was 11-0 overall across 8 promotions following a knockout head kick in November of 2017 before his UFC debut.

Dricus Du Plessis will make the walk Saturday for the 24th time as a professional. Since turning pro in 2013 Du Plessis has spent time as a middle weight and welterweight during his MMA career where he has amassed 21 wins in 23 fights. Prior to an MMA career Du Plessis amassed 33 fights as an amateur kickboxing where he won all 33 fights including 30 via the knockout. Fighting out of South Africa Du Plessis trains with Team CIT MMA where he has obtained a second-degree black belt in kickboxing.

Du Plessis comes into Saturday as the reigning UFC middle weight champion after winning the belt via decision in January of 24 against Sean Strickland. Saturday will be just the eighth fight for Du Plessis in the UFC where he is a perfect 7-0 overall. 19 of the 21 wins for Du Plessis as a professional have come via the finish with the last being a TKO of Robert Whittaker in July of 2023.