Dricus Du Plessis successfully secured his middleweight title against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305. The South African’s performance impressed everybody, including former rival, Robert Whittaker. The former champion commended ‘Stillknocks’ for his unusual method of fighting. Here is what happened:
Robert Whittaker recently sat down for an episode on the MMArcade Podcast. There, he discussed the UFC 305 middleweight showdown between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya. Whittaker commented on Dricus Du Plessis’s unique and “awkward” fighting style, which has been effective despite its unconventional nature.
Technically nothing changes whether he’s tired or he is not tired. He’s just a little faster. There’s a method to his madness. I’m making light of it and making it funny but dude is a weapon. He’s a true warrior and I can say that first hand because he beat me, right?
Robert Whittaker on MMArcade
Whittaker noted that Du Plessis’s style might seem cumbersome, but it works because he fights aggressively and relentlessly. He described Du Plessis as someone who “runs at you throwing punches like you stole something,” and although his technique remains the same whether tired or fresh, it is clear there is a method to his approach.
Whittaker emphasized that to defeat Du Plessis, one must be prepared to give everything and essentially be willing to “leave it all” in the octagon. He believes he now understands what it takes to beat Du Plessis in a rematch, but his immediate focus is on his upcoming fight against Khamzat Chimaev.
Robert Whittaker on Dricus Du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya’s debatable scorecards
The UFC 305 bout between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya featured some controversy surrounding its judging, but not in the usual way of a split or disputed decision. Du Plessis won via submission in the fourth round, neutralizing much of the scoring debate.
Robert Whittaker talked about Du Plessis being up on the scorecards despite his unusual performance. According to the former champion, he would not have been shocked if it were Adesanya leading in the points but he also did not disagree with the judge’s decision to award rounds two and three to the South African.
I think I was close enough that I could see it happening. Like I wouldn’t be shocked if it was 2-1 Adesanya but I can see where the judges were coming from.
Robert Whittaker on MMArcade
However, the fight was marked by some fans questioning how judges might have viewed the early rounds due to the competitive exchanges between the two fighters. Adesanya initially seemed strong but ultimately fell to a rear-naked choke after an error on the ground, which Du Plessis capitalized on.
!
