'I'm assuming we'll have a rematch after this'… Dricus Du Plessis talks Israel Adesanya and the UFC title picture
14/08/2024 14:54
The UFC middleweight title picture is, and has been for a while, a rather entertaining mess with four top fighters having been in contention for the shot at Dricus Du Plessis, with the South African champion noting that the chaos may be far from over.
Whether you agree or disagree with the matchmaking around the top of the 185lb tree, MMA fans are in store for a fabulous grudge match this weekend when Dricus Du Plessis defends his middleweight title for the first time, against one of the biggest superstars in the entire sport.
Dricus Du Plessis talks Adesanya wanting to be a 'three-time' UFC champion
Both prior to his middleweight title fight with Sean Strickland and in the build-up to his first title defense in Perth at UFC 305, Dricus Du Plessis has continued to take aim at Israel Adesanya's motivation to fight.
From claiming Adesanya no longer has the 'hunger or fire' to find title success, to that he should have retired after avenging his KO loss against Alex Pereira, the idea that 'Stylebender' is chasing former glory has become a major theme of Du Plessis' trash-talk game.
This week, the South African champion sat down with popular YouTuber 'The MMA Guru' to discuss the upcoming title fight in Australia, with a key part of their conversation being around Adesanya's desire to become a three-time UFC champion.
Whilst many fans believe that such an achievement would be sufficient motivation for any UFC fighter, let alone someone of Adesanya's championship caliber, Du Plessis argues that this is evidence to the contrary.
"With a guy like Adesanya, he's seen it all and achieved it all so now you can go 'Well, now you're the first three-time UFC champion' but that just means he lost the belt twice.
"It's not an achievement, it's just a record that is on record, it's not an achievement for a person but what is there left for the man in this sport?"
'Stillknocks' made the argument that between UFC 305 being Adesanya's 12th world title fight in a row and the fact that he's had a year away from the sport, there isn't much left for him to compete for.
- EXCLUSIVE: Adesanya reveals where his feud with Du Plessis ranks among the greatest rivalries of his career
"The only battle this man has – I'm not in his head, he's in his own – I think for him, he's looking for a reason as to 'Why am I doing this?'… It's all irrelevant at this stage [of his career] … Whereas with me, I've always had this goal, and I have a whole career ahead of me, it's a changing of the guard."
Yet as The MMA Guru pointed out, becoming a three-time UFC champion might be considered a more meaningful achievement had Adesanya fought his way back up into title contention; having earned both of his recent shots off losses – Pereira in 2022, and Strickland in 2023.
"That's actually a very good point," noted Du Plessis, laughing at the fact he might have to do it all over again, should said pattern continue to repeat itself.
"If you lost the belt and had to fight all the way back up then that takes determination but getting a title shot after a loss every single time, that's interesting… I'm assuming we'll have a rematch after this."
Dricus Du Plessis on Sean Strickland, Whittaker vs Khamzat Chimaev
At the post-fight press conference for the new season of Dana White's Contender Series last night, the UFC President confirmed that Sean Strickland will be next in line for the middleweight title.
"I don't mind the Strickland rematch," acknowledged Du Plessis, sharing how "People are like 'Which one would I choose,' but I choose which one is the fight that people want to see."
Ironically, the middleweight champion believes that the UFC will in fact switch tactics come October to push the winner of Robert Whittaker vs Khamzat Chimaev, rather than giving the next shot to Strickland.
"It's a very interesting situation at middleweight right now because you're sitting with Strickland who beat [Paulo] Costa, but then you get Whittaker who's been at it- who beat Costa as well. He also beat Costa before Strickland in a much more entertaining fight for sure.
"But let's be honest, if the Whittaker – Chimaev fight ends in a draw, Khamzat's getting a title shot for sure, 100%. The UFC have been wanting to give Khamzat a title shot for years he just wouldn't take it… I'm rooting for Whittaker in that fight although I would love to fight Khamzat."
UFC 305 goes down this weekend live from the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.
