Darren Till has some advice for Israel Adesanya and Dricus Du Plessis thinks it’s hilarious.
On Saturday, ‘DDP’ will put his middleweight championship on the line when he steps into the main event spotlight for a showdown with former two-time titleholder Israel Adesanya in Perth, Australia.
IT'S OFFICIAL 🤝🏆
The middleweight title will be on the line in Perth!#UFC305 | @WestAustralia | #WAtheDreamState pic.twitter.com/fCCHfa8Pbu
— UFC (@ufc) June 17, 2024
Their meeting will come more than a year removed from a racially charged confrontation between the two at UFC 290 and will also serve as Adesanya’s first time competing since being shut out by Sean Strickland last September.
Hoping to see his Adesanya make history as the UFC’s first-ever three-time middleweight king, former Du Plessis opponent Darren Till offered ‘The Last Stylebender’ a few words of advice on how to handle the South African’s awkward style.
“Got some advice for Izzy on how to fight DDP on Saturday,” Till wrote on X. “Lots of feints… he reacts to them so much and throws from the hills. Then you can step back. Have a look and either for for the punch combo or knee maybe a kick. Ur a high level striker so u know what am on about. Everyone on here won’t have a clue but they will try to understand it. Only the elite strikers get it. As he rushes in also do what you did against rob and I did the same. Urs knocked rob out as where as mine didn’t but still same same.
“DDP will rush in. Instead of standing back or going back like most of these silly stupid strikers do. Stand ur ground and just hit him with either again the punch combo or even a knee up the middle. I personally love the elbow as they are lunging in but it’s whatever suits at that time and whatever you have practiced. Hope this advice goes well with you IZZY.”
Got some advice for Izzy on how to fight DDP on Saturday.
Lots of feints… he reacts to them so much and throws from the hills. Then you can step back. Have a look and either for for the punch combo or knee maybe a kick.
Ur a high level striker so u know what am on about.…— DT (@darrentill2) August 13, 2024
Dricus Du Plessis Reacts to Darren Till’s Advice for Adesanya
Asked for his thoughts on Till’s advice to Adesanya, Dricus Du Plessis was quick to question why ‘The Gorilla’ didn’t deploy any of those tactics when the two of them met in December 2022.
“I did hit him hard and he seemed to forget — he said he beat me after two rounds?” Du Plessis told Main Event in Australia. “I think after the first round the striking was 61 strikes for me and zero to him. Then the second round he had a good round until I took him down and the third round I just out-struck him and took him down, finished him.
“I appreciate it. Darren Till is trying other — I know he got taken down by a boxer in a boxing ring so I’m assuming he’s trying different career paths like coaching. Let’s see how that goes. He should probably mention that trying to defend a takedown or your neck because, you know, he didn’t. Obviously, he knows now what it does, but what’s the guy saying? It was ridiculous.”
“If you saw it that good, why didn’t you do anything about it? Easy as that.”
‘DDP’ earned a third-round rear-naked choke against Till, marking his fourth-straight win and third finish. Since then, Du Plessis has landed wins over Derek Brunson, Robert Whittaker, and Sean Strickland to claim the 185-pound crown.
As for Till, the former welterweight title challenger walked away from the Octagon after losing five of his last six. Recently, ‘The Gorilla’ made his professional boxing debut against Mo Mutie at Social Knockout 3 in July. Till won the bout via TKO, but only after Mutie argued that Till had punched him back in the head and couldn’t continue.
Following the referee’s decision to award Till the fight, an all-out brawl broke out between the two corners.
Watch the full interview with ‘DDP’ below:
