this past Saturday night Sunday morning
in Sydney after Sean Strickland beat
Israel Destiny to become the brand new
Undisputed UFC middleweight champion
it’s still a crazy thing to say but it
is in fact true uh one man who I’m sure
was watching very closely who will have
a lot to say about all this is dracus
duplessy he’s kind enough to join us
right now via the magic of Zoom drikas
thank you so much for the time I
appreciate it
the only pleasure man thanks for having
me it’s good to have you and I and I do
uh I do really appreciate you coming on
the show obviously a lot has happened
over the last few months so uh I think
says a lot about you that you would come
on to talk about everything going on in
your career and I I am very interested
to hear what you have to say about
everything that has happened over the
last you know couple months or so first
can I ask you because we didn’t talk to
you uh after July 8th the win over
Robert Whittaker on July 8th
when you left the cage that night did
you feel in your heart your next fight
would be for the middleweight title had
someone told you that
did someone say to you was it in writing
like did you feel like there’s nothing I
need to do at this point because I just
be Robert Whittaker what were you
thinking as you left the cage that night
uh yeah well I mean we did a facial
right the champion got in there so it
was uh set in stone I am the number one
container in the world so for me that
was yeah it was it was basically set in
stone for me
um uh even the backstage we already
spoke about it you know going to
Australia what the arrangements were
going to be and uh with the powers at B
so you know it was basically a done deal
but uh you know I said it even at the at
the pressure I said if I’m medically
of able to that’s the part I’m going to
take
no uh jail sudden said something stupid
or ridiculous like juicus wasn’t even
limping when he was walking out the cage
what a dumb thing to say you know with
all that adrenaline in your body you
just knocked out with it just faced up
when you saw lasagna you think I’m gonna
walk with a limb I don’t know what kind
of man you are but I’ll fake that limb
every day
uh in your defense chill does say a lot
of stupid things so um I didn’t hear him
say that but uh not surprised he has
said stupid things uh even about me so
um I can understand where you’re I don’t
blame him too I appreciate that well
played well played um so so when when
you walked out was right because I said
you know if I’m being honest I was like
you know in the history of the UFC
No One turns around on two months notice
no it just doesn’t happen it’s just like
you don’t you don’t fight a guy like
Robert Whitaker and then fight for the
belt two months later it just doesn’t
happen I don’t know of one example of
this I mean there’s been some crazy
times but like for the most part doesn’t
happen was there any part of you that’s
like hey the timeline isn’t exactly
matching up here what are we gonna do
yeah I mean we spoke about it and you
know obviously we as a team my coaches
my my teammates the the whole team we
realize listen this is going to be a
tough one we’re going to have to make
this
listen and then obviously a lot of
people say listen is there a part of you
that’s going to take it the fight camp
and taking consideration that you have
to fight in seven weeks when you’re
fighting Rob Whittaker and I thought
about it I said listen that’s not even
possible fighting Robert Whittaker at
maybe what 70 so I don’t you know injure
myself or use all of my I don’t know
what because I actually taking
consideration no if I’m fighting Robert
Whittaker you need to fight at 110 but
that’s what I did my whole fight camp
and unfortunately no I had a great fight
game but unfortunately I got injured I I
think it was 19 or 18 days exactly the
day before we threw up
it was my last session at the gym and um
you know I injured myself and you know
didn’t kick with the food once you know
everybody at the pr or the PT all the
the physios everybody at the pr you know
I was there they were working on food
every day while I was in in Vegas before
the Whitaker fight
and uh you know adrenaline pulled me
through you know three weeks from apart
well I mean when I when I arrived 17
days from a fight all the hard work’s
done I’m already put already ready to
fight and I didn’t even kick with that
foot in the warm-up or the first time I
kicked with effort was in that fight and
if you notice the first thing I did when
I when the rest had fun the first strike
thrown in that part was me kicking with
that exact foot to get myself to get
that mental block over and I felt the
foot and I felt ah adrenaline’s got me
I’ll be good
so when you guys when either you your
team uh your your coach or manager
whomever relayed to the UFC that’s
September 9th September 10th wasn’t
going to happen did anyone say in return
well now you’re not going to be fighting
for the belt next was that ever said to
you guys as a result of you not being
healthy enough to fight at 293.
not at all no nobody said anything that
no did you fear that that would happen
by not fighting on the card
I guess I thought about it but I didn’t
really fear it I thought well
you know I thought
you know this is the fight game people
get injured all the time
people get injured I just went to one
hell of a camp I just fought three times
in seven months
you know
3007 months that’s it that’s a that’s a
tall order if you’re in I mean I thought
guaranto Derek Brunson and Robert Wood
again seven months that’s it that’s it
that’s tough on the body
and uh you know so
I honestly thought uh my commitment
towards the company and my commitment to
take fights when they usually called
when they called and said we want to do
Whittaker fight who would take that
fight everybody said how dumb I was to
take that part because the easy part
could have been made
and I said I’m not here to be smart I’m
here to fight and I took that fight
without any hesitation so you know
that’s that was kind of my my
um what was my Saving Grace is you know
I’m injured what do you want from me
there’s nothing I can do about it so
there was no part of you that was like
why am I even taking this fight I
thought you know after the Miami event
it seemed like you would be next right
was there any part of you saying like
why don’t we just skip this and go
straight to Sydney and both of you be
healthy and and there’s your main event
easy you know easy as can be
yeah 100 I mean that you know not
finding Whitaker fight probably would
have given me a a title fight but like I
said I wanted to beat Whitaker I didn’t
want the title fight because of some
hype because some made up like some
ridiculous stories I wanted to be the
number one Contender because I deserved
to be normal to tell you and I don’t
want to beat a number four guy a number
five guy number two guy a number four
guy number three guy and then get Dodge
up I wanted to be the number one to earn
my spot at number one that is fair
um so this week so I understand where
you’re coming from but if you kind of
like read between the lines a couple
times in his media availabilities it
seemed like Dana was talking about you
and saying like this is why you don’t
turn down fights do you feel the same he
never said you by name I think someone
asked him about you but he never
specifically said so it is possible that
he could be like no I’m just talking in
generalities but did you feel like he
was talking about you when speaking like
this and do you feel like there’s a part
of him that’s upset that you didn’t take
this fight
yeah yeah I think he was talking about
me and I think now you know their social
as a champion
what do you mean do you think that’s
like do you think they’re upset about
that
I would assume so
you don’t think this is what they wanted
no I don’t think that’s what they
expected sure you know if they you know
when they wanted it or not I don’t think
they expected it you know it’s a fight
game anything can happen and I’m just
I’m purely
um speculating here but I honestly don’t
think they thought uh shooting people
win this fight because I know myself and
the rest of it will probably also didn’t
think so yeah I was just going to ask
you did you think you had a chance
no okay I gave him I gave him less than
one percent that was a direct word for
me to some people what were you thinking
as you were watching on Saturday night
Sunday morning that fight unfold
the first thing I thought you know in
the first round even before the fight
starts even I started I thought I told
everybody I said easy looks up so you
have to know that I get obsessed when
I’m about to find somebody so you know
I’ve been studying easy for a very very
long time and I know his mannerisms I
know the way he moves I know the way he
looks I know his facial expressions I
know everything he does when he walks up
I know everything he does when he gets
into the case the way he looks his eyes
everything
and I told him even before the fight
started I said is he looks weird
and I don’t know what it is I don’t know
if it’s like a extra motivation or if
it’s I don’t know but it’s different
something’s weird and when the fight
started not even a minute and I said is
he looks very
he looks old I said it looks often
there’s some people saying it was just
Sean strict and shutting him down that’s
not the fact of the matter is he didn’t
fight the way that Lizzy can fight he
didn’t that that was the worst easy
we’ve ever seen in the catch
what would happen in your opinion if
that is he that exact Izzy fought you on
Saturday
uh you wouldn’t have gotten up after
that flurry uh when uh student dropped
it
so it would have ended in the first
100 percent
and so 100 of awkward that that version
of Israel that fight do you think Robert
Whitaker would have beaten that version
of Arizona yes that part went round and
a half with me and Whitaker
there’s no way we would have seen the
second round
so there are some people yeah go ahead
sorry
no no no but you know Sean Streetman I
have to add this you know I’m not taking
away from him because you’re stepping up
to a a big big opportunity like the way
he did you gotta respect that
now the pressure the traveling
everything gave you almost enemy ground
getting there
um taking and talking so much and going
out there and doing it
no I don’t think people understand the
pressure that he had had on him what it
takes especially a big fight like I
decided going out there and as a number
five thank God
you know I have to respect that uh as a
as a as a what do you say as another
fighter to a fighter I have to respect
that he went out there and he fought
exactly the way Sean shouldn’t important
he didn’t do anything special he fought
the way he fights and he did it
extremely well was there anything that
he did from a technical standpoint that
impressed you
yes the way he checked low kicks was
very impressive you know is he that’s a
big weapon for easy and straightening
really really has shot a lot of the the
there is a lot of easy down by checking
that like is he couldn’t catchy with
their Loki’s
um and that was that was something that
I was really impressed by and the fact
that no matter what he maintained the
forward pressure and that was that was
that was really impressive
But ultimately would it be fair to say
like you know there’s some people who
say oh that was all Sean Sean negated
him and then there are others who are
like you know that was more is he not
doing enough is he not being himself do
you do you side with the theory that
Izzy didn’t show up like is he on his
best day beat Sean on his best day do
you do you feel that way
yeah definitely
100 okay but you know it’s not it’s not
about that it’s about he shows up on the
knot
and that’s unfortunately our Sport and
Sean Strickland showed up on the night
and he deserves every single little bit
of credit that he’s receiving he
reserves that and is he didn’t show up
on the night and unfortunately in this
game you have to make sure that even on
your worst nights you are better than
some people on their best
was that a bad result for dricus2 plus C
in other words Izzy wins the fight I
think the whole world thought all right
there it is they’re just going to go
back to you but now this has shaken up
everything right there’s the immediate
rematch there’s Hamza and Paulo Jared is
the backup guy over there there’s like
there’s like literally four or five
cases to be made uh for the record even
before I knew you were coming on the
show on Monday I said I thought you
should be first because you beat Robert
Whittaker your ticket should be stamped
you’re the number one Contender so I
just want to repeat that I’m sure you
didn’t see it but that’s what I said did
you feel as though the result on
Saturday ruined your chances or hurt
your chances to get that title shot
no uh you know I think it made things
interesting because the UFC is a little
bit across with me maybe they’re a
little bit pissed off because I turned
down the pipe which is totally
unjustified I think but you know
at the end of the day it’s not my
decision to make
did it hurt the stock not at all people
have been talking about me this whole
time after that fight because he’s
getting this so great so the comes that
costs are you know obviously if they are
favorites I get that but no Costa’s
ranked number five or six comes up not
even in the ranking so I don’t see how
that makes sense
Canadian makes more sense than comes out
and cost us winning
and then um
of course there’s one guy with the
number one next to his name the guy
repeated Robert Whittaker and that’s me
and uh the way I see this is I’m
fighting sauce chicken I’m beating him
and the rematch is gonna happen but the
rules will be the risk I’ll be the
champion and easy will be the Challenger
what a crazy turn of events that would
be and and so
just curious
um was is there any part of you that
like Dana alluded to this but then on
Tuesday kind of clarified his stance the
one that we didn’t bring up is the
immediate rematch how would you feel if
they if they give Izzy the immediate
rematch
yeah I would think that is probably the
worst option you know I think uh that’s
you know rematch against player was
totally justified is winning a fight he
was honored how many years he was
Champion he was chasing gun status 100
Justified but right now it’s three and
two his last five and
that’s how to fight this was his first
defenses Champion becoming a two-time
champion
so are we giving everybody a a read
exact rematch if they uh lose their belt
on the first try to defend it not fair
and you know if he was winning the fight
like he was winning with the pair of
fight the whole fight and then got
clipped at the end a rematch may be
justified
but if you got if you got uh dominators
for five rounds
that’s not justifiable to to get no do
you see they’ve been talking about house
everybody knew the the problem in the
middleweight division easiest run
through the whole division
some people twice now they have the
opportunity the vision is open you gave
him that you gave him the benefit of the
doubt you gave him he’s get out of jail
card by giving him a rematch against
player you don’t get two of those
the vision is open now and it’s you know
right now he needs you just like there
is any spot to fight for that about
again
we were debating this on Monday like
what would you choose so now I can ask
you the question like what’s a bigger
fight because obviously uh it’s it’s
it’s heated between you and Izzy right
there’s something there that needs to be
resolved
but then you have the belt I I don’t
think there’s much of an issue a
personal issue between you and Sean but
the belt is the belt and that’s you know
the golden ticket so if presented what
what what what excites you more will
interest you more a non-title fight
versus
what interesting the boss would interest
me and you know after that we can do the
easy fight right now strong chicken has
the gold and I want to fight this way on
the Sun
but not as bad as I want to fight for
the belt
so I’ll make the promise that when I win
that belt he’ll be the first defense 100
percent
but right now
Israel the sun is really relevant to you
right now the guy with the title is
irrelevant all my focus is on the guy
with the title and that’s the guy I want
to fight next
and just curious I know a lot has to
happen between now and then but in your
in your opinion does Izzy have to win a
fight before getting another title shot
like you say that you will defend it
against them but well if I’m the
Champion I wouldn’t mind I don’t care
okay all right you can just sit around
do you you can take some time off it
looks like he needs it and um
I’ll fight for the title and you can get
a new immediate shot because I want to
fight him
so what kind of conversations have
happened between you know now and this
past Saturday do you feel like you’re in
a good spot do you do you feel confident
that you are going to be next listen uh
you probably know more than me I have no
no idea you know I don’t think the UFC
has even you know cemented something I
think they are also in term well what do
we do now because there’s a lot of
options but a lot of implications with
that so I honestly do not do not have a
clue okay what what happens just if I
can ask if they say hey man you know we
want you to fight Jared we’re we’re
going to go with the rematch what is
your response to that
what you know what can I do
maybe you sit out I don’t know maybe you
say no I I mean I guess there are a
couple things you could do I don’t know
what the implications of those decisions
would be but like would you would you
take it if you yeah I mean we would we
would we would probably say look at what
the options are you know are they gonna
do a rematch early and then
three months later I’ll get my shot is
then it’s starting to make sense but you
know this this there’s a lot of ifs and
but you know but up until the UFC makes
a decision
that’s when I start making my decisions
now I can’t have I can’t make any
decisions up until they’ve made this
the only thing I can do right now is do
my campaign to make sure that they
realize that I deserve this title shot
or not realize just you know the people
needs to the people actually like they
have to be a certain level of
entertainment to this so the people
don’t want me to see want to see me
fighting about then there’s no no
there’s no no even there’s no using
campaign do you feel like they do
yeah 100 percent
over a Hamza Apollo winner someone like
that
yeah
I believe so
is there any part of you that regrets
saying no to September 9th
not at all
why not because it’s not one thing about
I mean you say you would have beaten
them in the first round right so when
you’re watching that I’m assuming
there’s a part of you that was saying
like I could be I mean I would have
beaten this guy right yes yes yes yes
the best trick is would beat him yeah
jiggers that showed up did you get that
fight when he’s when he’s fit now if
you’re 100 I only started kicking three
weeks two three weeks ago okay
so you know being a kicking myself
against a guy that kicks a lot
with an injured foot not being able to
kick naughty and being able to wrestle
uh properly because of the foot
so that version of me that’s why we said
no because I knew I was going to be
below 60 going into that fight
and going into a fight like that when
you’ve prepared when it happens in the
middle of Camp that’s one thing but
starting your camp that way that’s not
that’s you know that’s foolishness was
there any part of you that’s like why do
we have to do this in two months like if
I’m like 100 yes and what was the reason
I said well
I didn’t ask anything oh okay now what
am I going to say yeah I was just saying
we uh my coaches myself you know the
team you know me too myself said
why would they do this why would they
put all of the Australian stars on a
show seven weeks before myself
volkanovski Whitaker why would you put
all these stars on the show seven weeks
before the Australia called Dan hooker
did the same with him yeah okay exactly
so why would we do that that doesn’t
make any sense right I still don’t even
understand why they did that to be
honest I do not understand that either
you know if it was
four weeks later 100 understand it
because if you have 11 or 12 weeks that
makes sense for a turnaround
but seven weeks that’s it
so if this was the Abu Dhabi card you
would have been able to take it the next
paper 100 100 was it hard to watch on
Saturday for you
I guess it was a part of it
it was hard to watch that that wished I
was there there was a big part of me
that felt like oh I should have been
there oh I deserve to get that belt but
like I said there’s no part of me to
regretting not taking that part
uh what about the decision to not at
least be in attendance uh something was
made oh wow geez man uh that’s one thing
I want to tell Easy listen you know if
you knew everything anything about
living in Africa you would realize what
it takes
to get a visa to Australia being in
South Africa it doesn’t happen overnight
you don’t get a Visa in two three weeks
you just don’t okay
and you know it’s it’s uh you know that
you don’t even get a Visa in four weeks
no shame it’s it’s extremely hard
you know and you needed good enough
reason so you know and what would have
happened I would have gone there and saw
him lose
no no no it doesn’t it doesn’t it
doesn’t work like that you know for me
like that’s what I said now people are
like just just go just go to Australia
do you know how hard it is for a South
African to get a visa to Australia
it’s extremely hot did the UFC try I
mean I know sometimes they can expedite
things was there any talk of that or no
no okay would you have wanted to be
there if you could if it wasn’t I would
have wanted I would have loved to be
there right would love to be there
definitely I would have loved to be
there
so how do you think this story plays out
when do you think you fight again and
and and and who do you think you fight
in your next fight listen what I think
and what I want don’t know if it’s the
same thing but wait in my in my in my
perfect world I’m fighting Sean sugar in
December oh wow that soon huh and
I’ll be ready for December and uh if
possible and fighting Israel
understanding defending my title at UAC
300. okay the the fact that you prefaced
your answer by saying what I think and
what I wanted to for things there are
part of you that is a little bit worried
that it’s not going to pan out this way
for you
yeah maybe maybe you know right now you
know it is uh there’s so many options
and you know uh if you have the boss man
push that you that’s that’s never good
right very good sign is this one where
you may want to talk to him sometimes
that helps you know you get on the phone
I know you can’t do it face to face but
just to explain your side of things
yeah I would I would actually love that
you know if uh we if we can make that
happen and
you know I can explain your situation
you want me to put in the call right now
I’ll uh go do a little three-way
yeah man I would love that let’s do that
come on Daddy get on the horn make it
happen that does that does help by the
way he has often said that he
appreciates when someone makes the
effort to try to at least explain their
side as opposed to it coming from a
Matchmaker or a manager so I mean just
my two cents who the hell am I uh I’m
just a butt licker right kidding joke
yeah you got a zing in I got a Zing well
listen my man we can’t we can’t argue
with the facts yeah that’s right I don’t
know the facts I’m talking about the
facts of uh uh you know trying to get in
Dana’s good graces but I also know
nothing about that as well
um this was nice this was nice trickus I
think this is good are we back or what
what do you think
oh man you know we’ll see okay we’ll see
a small step we want it we’re we’re one
and one right now
can you tell your coach I say hello I
mean like what’s what you know maybe we
can mend the fences there too what do
you think oh man I’ll I’ll give it my
best shot I mean you have a better shot
at me than him all right well I
appreciate that and I think it says I
think it says a lot about you and I
appreciate that and I appreciate the
respectful cordial conversation and
thank you for coming on and I do believe
that you have earned it and deserve it
and like I said I said that before I
even knew you were coming on the show so
uh good luck to you and hopefully for
your sake you get that title shot
man I appreciate you and thanks for
having me all right thank you so much
there he is have a good one there he is
Trick is two plus C uh joining us from
South Africa
thanks for watching we appreciate it
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