After retaining his belt for the first time, Dricus Du Plessis is now officially a defending UFC champion. The 30-year-old registered his maiden defense against Israel Adesanya at the UFC 305 pay-per-view (PPV) headliner. Shortly after raising his hands, the South African received a challenge from Alex Pereira. Team Du Plessis, though, has some preferences if the UFC travels to Africa.
Israel Adesanya suffered his third loss in his past four fights when he succumbed to a fourth-round submission at UFC 305. He last won a title fight at the UFC 287 PPV headliner, knocking out Alex Pereira. Although Adesanya was in good spirits afterward at Perth’s RAC Arena, he vowed to keep going. Meanwhile, Dricus Du Plessis’ head coach, Morne Visser, said he still prefers Izzy for a true African fight.
I said to Izzy, that I think the only guy who deserves to fight us in Africa is Izzy, …so it will be a rematch, and the only guys that deserve Africa are the two Africans…the true Africans, nobody else.
Morne Visser via the ‘Submission Radio’ (@SubmissionRadio) Show for SBNation Network
Since UFC 287, ‘Poatan’ has made his mark away from the 185-pound limits and into the light heavyweight frames. However, he maintains an inkling with old friends and foes alike. With DDP defeating top 185lbers Sean Strickland and Izzy in title fights, Pereira claimed he would return to middleweight following UFC 305.
Du Plessis is open to such a challenge after the message came that Poatan will return to his former weight class. However, both the middleweight champ and his coach have a stipulation. They want DDP to go to 205-pound limits instead so that Pereira does not have any excuse for being drained of normal hydration limits. As such, it’s an open market facing the ‘last’ bender of ‘Stylebender.’
Matchmaking shoes: What’s next for Dricus Du Plessis after UFC 305?
Dricus Du Plessis is still unbeaten after defeating Israel Adesanya at UFC 305. 22-2 MMA and 8-0 UFC at the moment, DDP could be poised for quite a reign in the 185-pound class. He had a clean 2-0 stoppage streak from his debut till he got the unanimous nod over Brad Tavares. Then DDP went to war with Darren Till and stopped the bombastic ‘Blonde’ Derek Brunson in round 2.
Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305 (Source: X)The 170-185 weight class limit is where brand value pound-for-pound performance is really apparent. Hence, Du Plessis’s rise is catching the eye. Two-division champion Alex Pereira was quick to call him out. It’s no secret that Pereira has cut a massive amount of weight to fight in this division. Hence, DDP wishes to move up after he completes his work.
Alex Pereira said that he wants to fight Dricus Du Plessis at 185 lbs and DDP replied saying he’d come up to 205 lbs to fight Pereira for his belt 👀
They both want a shot at becoming a double champion against each other 🏆🏆 #UFC305 pic.twitter.com/ipRCTbgnKL
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) August 18, 2024
However, there’s a deterrent to that. For one, there is Magomed Ankalaev. His next bill is against No. 5-ranked Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi. Hence he is not facing Pereira any soon.
Magomed Ankalaev reacts to Alex Pereira teasing a move back down to middleweight:
“Alex Pereira biggest chicken in the UFC. He calls out guys middleweight he 40 pounds more than them…” 😳😳#UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/MHkmuWOvG0
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) August 18, 2024
Dricus you are one to be studied
Miss by a mile next thing you know he lands clean on the chin, fails a takedown goes on his back next thing you know he got the choke.
I’d really love to fight this guy.
Congrats— Marvin Vettori (@MarvinVettori) August 18, 2024
Marvin Vettori, who last faced Israel Adesanya at Gila River Arena, Glendale, AZ, has also come out of the woodwork. The former middleweight title challenger once had quite the gag going of not admitting how good Izzy is despite facing him twice. Now, he himself has broken barriers to praise the awkward style DDP has.
Du Plessis has already gotten the toughest tests with three consecutive wins over former 185-pound champs Izzy, Strickland, and Robert Whittaker. It appears a string of rematches will happen next for the South African superstar. As such, the goal right now remains to solidify the legacy at middleweight.
