In the highly anticipated middleweight clash at UFC 290, Dricus Du Plessis is set to face off against Robert Whittaker. Before the thrilling encounter, Plessis disclosed his strategy for capitalizing on Whittaker’s perceived invincibility.
Ahead of his highly anticipated fight against Whittaker, Plessis expressed his admiration for his opponent. The South African fighter acknowledged Whittaker’s impressive record of not losing to anyone in the division for over a decade, except for Israel Adesanya.
Du Plessis exposes Whittaker’s mindset
Plessis believes that Whittaker’s remarkable feat deserves recognition and praise. Hence, Dricus is ready to step into the octagon as an underdog.
“You have to realize that a guy like Whittaker hasn’t lost to anybody [other] than the champion in almost ten years. So he deserves that respect that he’s been getting as favorite and as a crowd favorite.” Plessis said.
HUGE FIGHT SET IN MIDDLEWEIGHT
Robert Whittaker vs Dricus Du Plessis
July 8 | IFW | Las Vegas NV | 185 lbsvia Dana White pic.twitter.com/DvRuVbe0A0
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) April 21, 2023
Whittaker, the former middleweight champion, fought Adesanya for the first time at UFC 243, but he found the contest to be a letdown. Whittaker was dissatisfied with his performance due to a knockout defeat in the second round.
They fought again in UFC 271 two years later, but the result stayed the same. ‘The Reaper’ suffered his only two losses in almost ten years after being defeated once more at the hands of ‘The Last Stylebender’.
Robert Whittaker won't be underestimating Dricus du Plessis.
📰 https://t.co/tUCfLLBayf pic.twitter.com/onML2uaxRQ
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) June 25, 2023
Plessis has revealed his strategy for defeating the formidable force that is Robert Whittaker in their upcoming fight. The Pretoria native acknowledges identifying flaws in Whittaker’s game is a challenging task because, at this level, everyone in the top five of the division is exceptionally skilled.
However, Plessis believes that Whittaker’s mentality might be his potential flaw as he possesses a sense of invincibility, believing that no contender can defeat him and that he can conquer all other contenders. Plessis plans to exploit this mindset during their bout.
“He has that in his mind, so at some stage I think it’s almost like for him going through the paces up until getting that title shot. And this fight I can promise you will not be a fight of going through the paces. I’m going out there to give him the hardest fight of his whole career.” Plessis added.
🇿🇦 Dricus Du Plessis is very wise.#UFC290 pic.twitter.com/LvuuaVAJ9i
— AfrikanChef_ZA ™ (@AfrikanChefZA) July 3, 2023
How many wins does Dricus du Plessis have?
Dricus, a new sensation in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), has quickly established himself as a formidable contender in the middleweight division.
The 29-year-old fighter made his debut in October 2020 against Markus Perez. Since then, the South African fighter has showcased his skills by securing victories in five consecutive fights in Dana White’s promotion.
After his impressive knockout win against Derek Brunson at UFC 285, ‘Stillknocks’ (19-2-0) has set his sights on bigger aspirations. Currently ranked fifth in the middleweight division, the skilled fighter is now harboring dreams of becoming the champion.
Israel Adesanya and Dricus du Plessis have different recollections of their sparring session 👀 pic.twitter.com/aJmpKcPLfs
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) June 28, 2023
Who will you emerge victorious in the fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Robert Whittaker? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section.
