Dricus Du Plessis has successfully defended his UFC middleweight championship against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305. It took ‘StillKnocks’ four rounds to systematically break down Adesanya and finish him via a rear naked submission. With the win, DDP defeated all the top middleweights in the UFC, and Daniel Cormier was extremely impressed.
At UFC 305, both fighters showed incredible heart and put on a competitive title fight. While many expected Izzy to dominate on the feet, DDP was able to defend and land some heavy strikes on the challenger. Daniel Cormier was in the commentator panel and watched the fight up close. DC shared a video on his YouTube channel about how incredible the champion looked against Izzy.
Dricus Du Plessis is the real deal and he is the middleweight champion of the world, and it’s time for people to start putting respect on his name. He has now beaten three former champions; he beat Sean Strickland, he beat Robert Whittaker and now he beat Israel Adesanya. It’s time to give this man the respect that he deserves.
Daniel Cormier via his YouTube channel
Throughout his title run, Dricus Du Plessis has gone through fighters like Derek Brunson, Robert Whittaker, Sean Strickland, etc. In all those fights, DDP looked sloppy and awkward but found a way to win. The skillset like that comes from high fight IQ, which Tom Aspinall pointed out after watching the UFC 305 PPV.
🫡👊DC believes it’s time people started giving Dricus Du Plessis the respect he deserves:
“Dricus Du Plessis is the real deal and he is the middleweight champion of the world, and it’s time for people to start putting respect on his name.
He has now beaten three former… pic.twitter.com/sakcguzbUq
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) August 18, 2024
Besides his heavy punches, Dricus Du Plessis also mixed it up with frequent level changes. Izzy has a reputation for having incredible takedown defense, and it was visible. However, the relentless pressure from the champ was too much for Adesanya. As it turns out, Cormier isn’t the only UFC veteran who was impressed by DDP.
Dricus Du Plessis puts UFC Hall of Famer in limbo with his fighting style
Dricus Du Plessis’ fighting style is distinct owing to his unconventional moves, explosive striking, and diverse methods. He frequently uses unorthodox footwork and head movement, making it tough for opponents to anticipate his moves. Du Plessis combines powerful attacks from unexpected angles with excellent grappling and submissions to create a diverse and unpredictable style.
Chael Sonnen was impressed by Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305 (via Imago/X)His unrelenting pace and pressure, paired with good durability and cardio, allow him to overwhelm opponents. It results in an uncomfortable yet extremely successful approach in the Octagon. That’s exactly what Chael Sonnen and many other experts have noticed about the champion. In his recent video, Sonnen raised some interesting questions about DDP.
Is he a technician? Like Adesanya. Or is he a brawler like Strickland? Coz I have seen him do both. He’s very good, he’s very talented. I thought he was getting tired, I thought he was fatiguing.
Chael Sonnen via his YouTube channel
It was Du Plessis’s first title defense, and he managed to shut his doubters with a win. He also got the opportunity to mock Canadian rapper Drake for betting $450K against him. DDP is already looking forward to further challenges and wants Robert Whittaker as his next fight. It will be interesting to see how the UFC reacts to his wish.
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