This weekend’s Ultimate Fighting Championship has all the ingredients to become one of the most talked about events in mixed martial arts history.
A huge chunk of the focus will be on the main event where Alexander Volkanovski puts his featherweight title on the line against a surging Yair Rodriguez.
But there’s one other fight that could decide the next middleweight title contender when Dricus du Plessis takes on Robert Whittaker at the T-Mobile Arena in Nevada.
Whittaker will be well informed and cautious about the relatively less experienced South African beast, who can potentially delay his quest towards the title.
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Facing someone of Whittaker’s stature can be a daunting task for any fighter but du Plessis says he isn’t fazed about the brawl.
“I’m Feeling absolutely great. With that win in March, I entered the top five. I’m looking to extend the streak and looking forward to a knockout result.” he said in an exclusive interaction with Sportstar.
“I think Whittaker is a really good fighter but with the speed that he operates, he has to give up a bit of power, and against me, he is giving up quite a bit of size as well. I’m definitely the bigger fighter with a longer reach and if you look at the percentage of strikes landed, I’m the superior. Yes, he’s fast but when I land, it’s a good night.” he added.
Whittaker has lost only twice since June of 2014 and is regarded as one of the greatest ever in the division. Interestingly, both his defeats came against current middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, who successfully defended his belt consecutively.
Robert Whittaker and Dricus Du Plessis face off during the UFC 290 ceremonial weigh-in at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on July 7, 2023. | Photo Credit: Jeff Bottari/Getty Images
Du Plessis on the other hand, is unbeaten so far in his UFC career and will be riding high on confidence on the back of a five-fight winning streak.
“Stillknocks” who recently underwent a nasal surgery to fix his breathing issue, will be primed to climb the octagon and put on a statement performance and says he intends to do the same. “100 per cent you will see a new and improved Dricus like every other fight. It’s not because of the nose, it’s actually because when we enter every single fight, we try to become better than the previous one.”
Despite some hiccups in the middle in his most recent victories over Darren Till and Derek Brunson, du Plessis ultimately displayed his tenacity and knack for finishing in both contests. Overall, 18 of his 19 professional fights have been outright finishes - eight wins by knockout and 10 through submission.
The South African will need that finishing instinct in abundance against Whittaker, who has been finished just three times in his 14-year-old fighting career.
“The pressure is not because I’m fighting in the UFC or because I have an unbeaten streak. I’ve felt this pressure right from my first fight, I even experience it now. I know how good I can be and living up to my own expectations is where the pressure comes from. And that’s why I’ve been doing this great and I intend to keep it that way.” he says.
“I think Whittaker is an exceptional fighter and for me to beat someone like him, I’m going to have to be the best version of myself and I’m one hundred percent doing that,” he added.
Albeit being just five fights old in the UFC, du Plessis, on the back of consecutive stirring performances has scaled the ranks and is presently ranked fifth in the middleweight division. A win against second-ranked Whittaker could catapult him toward the coveted belt.
“After this fight, I do not doubt that I’ll be the number one fighter in this position. You know, Whittaker has been at the top for a very long time. He’s not lost to anyone else other than the champion and I’m going to be the first one who’s not a champion to beat him. After this fight, I believe it will be my title fight. I’ll be the next champion very soon.” he says.
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