Dricus Du Plessis lived up to the pre-fight hype by executing a successful strategy against Robert Whittaker. The South African fighter seems to have quite meticulously studied Whittaker’s fighting style and identified weaknesses that he could exploit.
With a calculated approach, Plessis entered the octagon tonight at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with a game plan tailored to take advantage of Whittaker’s vulnerabilities.
Dricus Du Plessis defeats Robert Whittaker at UFC 290
Plessis, recognizing Whittaker’s mindset of alleged ‘invincibility’ and the confidence from pretty much clearing out the division, effectively capitalized on this potential flaw. By exploiting Whittaker’s mentality, Plessis was seemingly able to gain an advantage and secure the victory in their bout.
While ‘The Reaper’ has defeated most of his opponents bar Izzy, athletes like Yoel Romero really put his skills to the test. Not to mention Adesanya’s KO/TKO victory against the Aussie in their first encounter.
WOW! Dricus du Plessis đ€Ż#UFC290 pic.twitter.com/16GloemBi1
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) July 9, 2023
‘Stillknocks’ solidified his status as a formidable competitor for the title by securing a technical knockout victory in the second round of his UFC 290 octagon showdown. This impressive win marks his sixth consecutive triumph in his professional MMA journey.
Dricus Du Plessis is next in line for the title shot vs Israel Adesanya
Following his remarkable victory, DDP has quickly shifted his focus towards a title shot against Adesanya, the highly acclaimed middleweight champion.
Following the bout, Adesanya engaged in a heated confrontation with Plessis inside the octagon, resorting to offensive racial comments. ‘The Last Stylebender’ vowed to showcase his own African root to Plessis.
This one has got fire under it! đ„
Israel Adesanya vs Dricus du Plessis next after #UFC290?! pic.twitter.com/tagsLODZQp
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) July 9, 2023
Surging to the fifth position in the middleweight rankings after defeating Whittaker, Du Plessis undeniably presents a genuine challenge to Adesanya’s championship reign.
While fighters like Sean Strickland have called out for a shot at the title, the trash-talking American will most likely need to go through more contenders before he gets the desired shot.
‘Killa Gorilla’ Jared Cannonier has also bounced back from his title bout loss, however, considering his relatively low star power and the ‘Real African’ storyline between Adesanya and Dricus, it’s not hard to guess which fight the UFC may consider more alluring.
South African Dricus just KO'ed Robert Whittaker, so Israel Adesanya went into the ring to call Dricus the n-word 20 times. Israel had already called him a "cracker" in an interview with chosen journalist Ariel Helwani. Being openly racist against White people is totally kosher. pic.twitter.com/xGIdht3Mhd
— RenĂ© Gaed (@RennyGator) July 9, 2023
Who do you think will emerge victorious if Dricus Du Plessis takes on Israel Adesanya? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section.
