Since Dricus Du Plessis took the UFC’s middleweight championship from Sean Strickland at UFC 297. The former vocal champion has been asking for a rematch because the fight was decided by a close split decision.
It seems unlikely that he will get what he wants.
Instead, it appears that Du Plessis will defend his new title against a different former middleweight champion.
On April 2, Du Plessis posted on his Instagram hinting at a potential matchup with Israel Adesanya at UFC 305. post After this post,
MMA insider Ariel Helwani shared some details about the negotiations for a potential matchup between the two. Helwani stated that neither fighter has been formally offered the fight, but both men and their teams want it to be their next bout.
A Much-Anticipated UFC Grudge Match
Excitement has been growing for a showdown between Adesanya and Du Plessis for some time.
After Du Plessis defeated Robert Whittaker in the second round of their fight at UFC 290, it was expected to set up a title showdown between him and Adesanya.
“The Last Stylebender” even entered the cage after the fight to confront Du Plessis with a profanity-laced rant following his victory over Whittaker.
However, Du Plessis was unable to face Adesanya at UFC 293 due to a leg injury, and Strickland took his place.
Strickland ended up winning the fight by unanimous decision.
Du Plessis finally got his opportunity for the title at UFC 297. He made the most of it, winning a decision against Strickland.
This led to efforts to reschedule his fight with Adesanya, who disclosed that he agreed to a fight with Du Plessis for UFC 300.
Unfortunately, Du Plessis was not prepared for the quick turnaround.
Now it seems that fans may finally witness this middleweight grudge match in August, featuring a very intriguing clash of styles.
A Showdown of Styles Between Du Plessis and Adesanya
Despite both fighters achieving great success in the UFC, Du Plessis and Adesanya could not be more different in their approaches.
Adesanya is a strategic and patient fighter who draws from years of kickboxing experience to achieve his success.
After participating in 80 kickboxing matches, he transitioned to MMA and promptly found success. He made his UFC debut just a year after his last kickboxing match and fought for an interim title just over a year later.
Throughout his career, Adesanya has utilized his patient counterattacking style to win eight title fights and knock out five opponents.
Du Plessis has experienced a more gradual ascent in the MMA ranks, but there is nothing gradual about his fighting style.
Constantly applying pressure to his opponents, Du Plessis consistently compels them to weaken en route to claiming the UFC title.
He employed this pressure to defeat five of his first six opponents in the UFC.
In his title fight against Strickland, he was the less methodical fighter, but his frantic approach allowed him to land more significant strikes, persuading the judges that he warranted the victory.
Now it seems he will face another formidable challenge against one of the most skilled strikers ever seen in the UFC.
UFC middleweight titleholder Dricus Du Plessis hinted at a significant upcoming bout for his championship at UFC 305 in August against a previous champion.
