'I was victim of that'… Common foe Robert Whittaker reveals Dricus Du Plessis' greatest advantage ahead of UFC 305
12/08/2024 20:20
Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has shared the Octagon with both Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya and has given his insight ahead of their highly anticipated bout this coming Saturday.
UFC middleweight champion, Dricus Du Plessis finally defends his 185lb title against Israel Adesanya this coming Saturday at UFC 305 from the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.
Potentially waiting in line is former king, Robert Whittaker, who takes on Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308 later this year.
Robert Whittaker believes Du Plessis is getting underestimated ahead of UFC 305
‘The Reaper’ has shared the cage with both ‘Stillknocks’ and ‘The Last Stylebender’ and ahead of their fight this Saturday, he has admitted that he thinks Du Plessis is getting underestimated, which could be his ‘greatest weapon’.
“Yeah to a degree (I think he’s getting underestimated), I was a victim of that. He’s an awkward-looking dude, man. He fights really awkward, even when you’re in there with him, I thought it was awkward,” Whittaker began to explain on the MMArcade Podcast.
“I felt like he was slow and cumbersome and then he punched me in the face. And that might be one of his greatest weapons, just a fly under the radar that makes people think he’s not up the scuff, then you get in there with him and he beats you,” Whittaker continued.
It is unlikely that Adesanya is underestimating the middleweight champion, considering his last few performances against Whittaker and Sean Strickland, and in fact, Adesanya seems to have ramped up his training.
According to his teammate, Dan Hooker, the 35-year-old is looking bigger than he’s ever looked as he has had time this time around to focus on weightlifting and building his size.
Not only that, but the former champion recently claimed that his UFC 305 fight camp has been the first that he has lived like a ‘real athlete’.
Whittaker offers expert prediction for Du Plessis vs Adesanya
The 33-year-old will likely be keeping a close eye on the culmination of the UFC 305 main event as he will be hoping to fight the winner after his UFC 308 fight against ‘Borz’ Chimaev.
Having shared the Octagon with both Adesanya and Du Plessis, ‘The Reaper’ has offered his expert insight into the bout.
“This fight Dricus vs Israel, we have to look at it and think Dricus was able to push that plan against (Sean) Strickland, that Strickland was able to push against Adesanya so you would have to think Dricus is going to push that same plan, that same motive on Adesanya.
“I guess the million-dollar question is what has Izzy done in his lay-off since the Strickland fight to make sure that doesn’t happen again because you can bet your bottom dollar that Dricus is going to push into that,” Whittaker said.
Whittaker also questioned whether Adesanya could get over the mental hurdle of his last fight after he was dominated by Strickland for five rounds.
“Then he has a loss to Strickland, and even if he was mentally burnt out whatever, that affects you, I’ve had that sort of fight… It makes you question yourself, it makes you question your ability to rise to the occasion.
“(My prediction is) probably Dricus by decision, probably, I don’t know,” Whittaker predicted.
