Lagos, Nigeria – Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has returned to Nigeria amid fanfare few days after losing a bout to South African Dricus Du Plessis in Australia. Adesanya arrived at Murtala Muhammed Airport on Wednesday with his parents and they were welcomed at the airport with drums and music. This is the second time the New Zealander would be visiting Nigeria after he made a trip to the country in 2019.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) who announced the arrival of the 35-year-old via its X handle, added that Adesanya and his parents were warmly received by staff of the commission. A group of local drummers performed at the airport to welcome the fighter, who famously refers to himself as “Omo Oba”, which means the king’s son or prince.
Adesanya’s return to his ancestral home comes after Du Plessis taunted his heritage during their press conference ahead of the UFC 305 middleweight title fight. Prior to the bout, the Nigerian born style-blender, in a video shared on his X, displayed his cultural affinity with a chanting of his name in Yoruba language with a caption ‘Son of the soil’.
Du Plessis forced Adesanya to submit in the fourth round on Sunday to retain his title and earned an opportunity to defend his title next in his home country of South Africa, as earlier promised by UFC President Dana White. Adesanya had lost the title to Sean Strickland in September 2023, and the latter surrendered the belt to Du Plessis.
The Style-bender was born in Lagos, but his family migrated to New Zealand shortly after his early childhood.
