The 30-year-old fighter, who will defend the UFC middleweight title for the first time since winning it from Sean Strickland in January, declared his emotions in check ahead of the bout. 

“I don’t behave emotionally because I’m in control of what I do,” Du Plessis told Fox Sports Australia. "So there’s nothing he can ever say that would get me angry or upset. When you start behaving emotionally like that, it’s a loss.”

Du Plessis was referring to a confrontation between himself and Adesanya in July 2023 when Adesanya confronted "DDP" in the cage after the South African had defeated Robert Whittaker. At issue was a comment Du Plessis had made earlier about his quest to become the first "real African champion" in the UFC, which drew the ire of Nigerian-born Adesanya.

Du Plessis said Adesanya "was behaving like a fool" during that 2023 encounter, something that he pledged not to do in the build-up to their title bout or in the cage on fight night.

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