Israel Adesanya, the two-time UFC middleweight champion, is looking for a new challenge. Having defeated numerous top contenders, including rival Alex Pereira who has now moved up to 205 pounds, Adesanya is eyeing a potential matchup with Dricus Du Plessis, who has a 5-0 record in the UFC, with four of those wins by knockout or submission.

The potential fight would be even more compelling as both fighters come from an African heritage, with Du Plessis from South Africa and Adesanya, a native Nigerian who currently fights out of New Zealand. Although Du Plessis is set to fight Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 on July 8, Adesanya is manifesting and hoping that Du Plessis will win to set up a match between them in Sydney at UFC 293, which Adesanya is targeting for September.

This is a country where Adesanya has competed many times in his career and where he first became the undisputed UFC middleweight champion after defeating Whittaker at UFC 243, and later defeating him again at UFC 271.

Their feud began when Du Plessis claimed he had stronger ties to Africa as he lives and trains on the continent, unlike Adesanya and fellow African-born fighters Francis Ngannou and Kamaru Usman, who are based in the U.S.

Adesanya is confident that Du Plessis will defeat Whittaker, despite the quick turnaround for UFC 293, since it’s only two months after UFC 290. Even if there is a snag, Adesanya is determined to make the fight happen. “We’ll make it happen. It’s a hard ask, but again, Player 1, you can make things happen. Really, I’ll pray on this and make it happen.”