Jon Jones' Thoughts On Israel Adesanya's Approach To Beef With Dricus Du Plessis: 'As A Black Man…'

Jon Jones and Israel Adesanya might be cordial after their past beef, but that doesn’t mean they’re always on the same page.

Jones will return to defend the UFC heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden. He won the then-vacant heavyweight belt by submitting Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 earlier this year.

After returning to the Octagon to become a two-division champion, Jones and Adesanya squashed their years of beef. The two of them have even discussed potentially training with each other at some point in the future.

Adesanya will face Sean Strickland at UFC 293 despite originally targeting a title clash with Dricus du Plessis. He and du Plessis have a unique dislike for one another, in a rivalry that has featured disagreements on nationality and has been discussed along racial lines.

Adesanya upped the trash talk with du Plessis in a heated faceoff with the South African at UFC 290. Minutes after du Plessis finished Robert Whittaker, Adesanya attacked du Plessis with a series of racial slurs in the Octagon.

While Jones supports attempts at mental warfare, he feels Adesanya went too far in ramping up his animosity with du Plessis.

Jon Jones ‘Uncomfortable’ With Dark Turn In Adesanya/Du Plessis Beef

During a recent interview with Kanpai Pandas, Jones admitted that Adesanya might’ve gone too far with his beef with du Plessis.

“I don’t want to talk s***, because Izzy and I have become friends and whatever,” Jones said. “But I was uncomfortable. As a black man, I was uncomfortable my damn self. That was just weird.”

If Adesanya can get past Strickland at UFC 293 next weekend, a matchup with du Plessis is likely on the horizon. He reclaimed the middleweight belt by defeating Alex Pereira in their title rematch at UFC 287.

Du Plessis started the heat with Adesanya when he questioned whether or not Adesanya was an African UFC champion. This prompted heated rhetoric from both sides and led to their current state of hostility.

Jones and Adesanya might be friends and even future training partners, but that doesn’t mean Jones always sides with how the UFC middleweight champion conducts business.

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