The current UFC Middleweight champion, Dricus Du Plessis, is expected to lock horns with Israel Adesanya. However, there is one potential problem with making that bout happen. The South African fighter is undefeated in his first seven UFC fights and has five finishes, including four knockouts and one submission. Du Plessis won the middleweight title at UFC 297 in January after defeating Sean Strickland via split decision.
Du Plessis wants to fight Adesanya
The 30-year-old was initially aiming to take on former champion Israel Adesanya, but injuries and scheduling conflicts postponed their clash. Now, “Stillknocks” is looking forward to the much-awaited bout against “The Last Stylebender,” and he expressed his readiness in an interview.
“I’m in. I’ve agreed to everything, I’m ready. That’s the fight I want. I called him out after winning the title, and that’s the fight fans want to see. Let’s just announce this thing,” said Du Plessis.
Dricus also stated that he doesn’t know what the hold up is. Maybe the UFC is waiting for something, but he has agreed to it. The Middleweight champion said that even if he is told to have a second fight with Sean Strickland, he will be ready for it too. Du Plessis is awaiting confirmation of a fight with Adesanya, but he is open to other contenders. He is also ready to fight Khamzat Chimaev.
The Middleweight champion will make his comeback in August
After winning his title, Dricus took six weeks to recover from a foot injury. He is now aiming to return at UFC 305 in August. Meanwhile, the middleweight division continues to evolve, with top contenders Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev set to headline UFC Saudi Arabia next weekend. Du Plessis stated that this fight is a big test for Khamzat and for Whittaker, it is a big step in his career.
Du Plessis beat Whittaker at UFC 290 in July 2023 via second-round TKO. Whittaker has bounced back after that with a unanimous win over Paulo Costa at UFC 298. On the other hand, Chimaev is looking for his 14th consecutive win, with the possibility of getting the title shot if he prevails over “The Reaper.”
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