Fox Sports Australia’s Nick Walshaw brings you all the latest news and views in Aussie and global MMA in his weekly column, The Takedown.

ISRAEL Adesanya has branded South Africa’s Dricus Du Plessis a “f…ing b…ch” after apparently withdrawing from their impending middleweight title fight at UFC 293 in Sydney.

Taking to Twitter on Wednesday morning, Adesanya blasted the 29-year-old contender who had earned the right to face him less than a fortnight ago after upsetting Robert Whittaker at UFC 290.

However, given a turnaround of only nine weeks separated events, it now appears DDP has withdrawn from the title headliner – with controversial American Sean Strickland set to be parachuted Down Under instead.

Fox Sports Australia understands UFC officials told Strickland some time ago to start preparing as a back-up, and that he could be brought in for the Sydney event on September 10.

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While the UFC is yet to confirm the post, it now seems one of the fight game’s most polarising figures is headed Down Under after Adesanya took to social media to announce the change.

Posting a video to Twitter, the champ began: “I don’t even know how to start this but Dricus Du Pussy, you f…ing bitch.

“Oh, all you had to do was put on some gloves, ‘I was ready to go again’.

“No you weren’t.

“You’re a b..ch.

“That’s why you’re not taking this fight.

“N…er, my knee was jacked for my last fight.

WARNING: Contains language that may be offensive

“But guess what I did? I showed up because that’s what a champion does.

“Championship caliber.

“We’re built different.

“When you fighters talk about ‘oh, I’ll fight anyone, anywhere, anytime’ … no you won’t.

“I do.

“Alex Volkanovski does.

“We’re built different. I’m at the gym right now about to get some work.

“So I’m fighting in Sydney, don’t give a f… who.

“So D…less Du Pussy – ha, d…less – f… off, you’re out.

“Strickland, you’re in.

“Let’s do the man dance.

“I’ll show you how to really dance.

“I’m tired of all you guys talking about ‘I can fight, I can fight’. No you can’t.

“You’re a pussy, b..ch.”

VOLK READY FOR OCTOBER AFTER SURGERY

ALEXANDER Volkanovski has returned to the gym only a day after elbow surgery as part of a bold push to be “ready to go” against either Islam Makhachev in October or Ilia Topuria in December.

In fact, the only rival Australia’s No.1 fighter has no interest in challenging is Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery – who is refusing to gift the UFC featherweight king with keys to the city.

Little more than a week after defending against Mexican Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290 in Las Vegas, Volkanovski has undergone surgery to repair a troublesome chipped bone in his left elbow.

It comes as Makhachev urged Volkanovski to sign on for a fight at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi, after the Aussie tweeted that his Dagestani rival was “running” and “don’t want this smoke”.

Attending hospital on Tuesday this week, the champ was back inside his Windang gym just 24 hours later and beginning a six-week rehabilitation process.

Speaking with Fox Sports Australia, Volkanovski’s manager Ash Belcastro insisted the 34-year-old will be fit to face UFC lightweight champ Makhachev in October, stating: “We’ll be ready to go if needed”.

Should UFC boss Dana White choose to take the lightweight champ in another direction however, Volk will then look to again defend featherweight gold against No.5 Topuria in December.

That bout would take place in Las Vegas.

Belcastro also revealed Volkanovski isn’t worried about Wollongong Lord Mayor Bradbery, who has knocked back a city keys push saying “I have a responsibility as a human being not to endorse those things which are violent”.

Quizzed on the comments, the manager said: “While that is really a topic for Alex, I’ll touch on it a little bit and say the guy is a global superstar.

“And he loves where he lives.

“Loves where his family lives, his friends, where he’s grown up, gone to school, played footy, is now raising a family … it’s who he is.

“And regardless of whether somebody gives him the keys to the city or not, Alex knows who he is and loves where he is from.”

Elsewhere, Belcastro said the champ would be back to full contact training in “six to eight weeks”.

The timeframe means Volkanovski is willing to undertake a hyped October rematch with Makhachev, who beat him in February via decision at UFC 284.

Earlier this week, the stars went at each other on Twitter after Makhachev hinted at an October showdown with UFC welterweight champ Leon Edwards.

“You running brotha,” Volkanovski tweeted. “You don’t want this smoke”

To which Makhachev replied soon after: “Take the fight then”.

According to Team Volkanovski, the champ will.

“Because the surgeon is really happy with how everything has gone,” Belcastro said.

“There was more to be cleaned out than initially thought but Alex already has a good range of movement and we’ll be ready to go in October if needed.

“But if they’re leaning towards something else for Makhachev, I’ve spoken with the UFC today and also said that we will then want to go in December.”

Asked if that would be against Topuria, who confronted Volkanovski inside T-Mobile Arena after his most recent win, Belcastro confirmed that was their pick.

Asked how bad Volkanovski’s injury had been throughout camp, and much of the past year, the manager continued: “Volk was struggling throughout this camp.

“It’s an injury that’s just gradually got worse over the past year.

“And there are so many things that can contribute to that.

“You get kicked in the elbow it flares up.

“And it was impacting his movement which could have affected him in so many ways.

“Say you’re in a choke and struggling to get your arm around … he had to get treatment three to four weeks out from the fight, had to get it strapped in training.

“Even before the first Islam fight it flared up badly.

“But you know Volk, he always pushes through.”

Yet while the Aussie continues to pile up wins, it seems he will not be getting the keys to his beloved hometown anytime soon.

Speaking with ABC News last week, Bradbery said: “I have a responsibility as Lord Mayor of the city and as a responsible human being not to endorse those things which are violent.

“It is against everything we stand for in our community in terms of violence and promoting violence.

“It is really important that we put a message out to young people and more specifically now with brain trauma on the agenda.

“What sort of endorsement is this if I put that nomination forward when his profile is supporting an activity like that?”

CULIBAO WANTS LONDON KO

AUSTRALIA’S Josh Culibao is promising an upset KO against English rival Lerone Murphy in this Sunday’s big UFC London card inside the O2 Arena.

Currently on a run of three straight wins in the featherweight division, Culibao now throws down against a rival who is unbeaten in all 13 professional appearances – including five inside the UFC.

Yet when asked for his prediction this week, the Sydneysider told media he would be looking to finish his hyped rival.

Culibao added that would be bringing a better mindset into the London event than he had fights previously in his career.

“I feel like I’m getting more comfortable in there,” he said.

“I used to make this thing bigger than what it was.

“In my head, I’d make it like ‘Oh, my god’.

“Because I’ve been such a fan of the sport for so long, I made it out as if all these guys were superheroes, watching them on TV, idolising all these guys – and now I’m in that position.

“I felt like I wasn’t worthy.

“But I’ve realised they are just like any ordinary person.

“At the end of the day, fighting is fighting.

“Whether you’re doing it on a basketball court, in an RSL, in a small show, in the backyard, or in a stadium, in the O2 Arena, it’s all the same.”