The reigning UFC middleweight champion, Dricus Du Plessis, has been following Alex Pereira’s career closely for years and thinks he is easily one of the most accomplished combat sports athletes in the world.
The South African is set to defend his title for the second time at UFC 312 against a familiar opponent he faced last year, Sean Strickland. The bad blood between the two fighters is yet to be settled, and they’re promising another back-and-forth war to fans worldwide.
At UFC 297, “Stillknocks” had clinched the UFC middleweight title via a split decision. However, his first title defense against two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya was definitely more promising as he became the first athelete to submit “The Last Stylebender”.
On the other hand, Strickland is coming off a much less exciting but dominant win over Paulo Costa.
Interestingly, in the first fight, the American had Pereira in his corner and the UFC light heavyweight champion will be in his corner at UFC 312 as well. Du Plessis considers the Brazilian a potential opponent and in a recent interview with Mark Bouris, he sent a chilling message to “Poatan”.
“How’s it going to feel to be in Sean Strickland’s corner losing again…One day when we fight, he’ll be zero and 2.”
Despite the cold trash talk, Du Plessis also praised his fellow UFC champ by saying:
“I think he is one of the greatest combat athletes to ever live. He is a phenomenal athlete. to go in a short period of time from a different sport and not just a different sport, kickboxing, which is not a great base for MMA. It helps, but if that’s the only thing you know, not a great base if you want to go up against these wrestling guys. He came in and just went through everyone after being one of the greatest K1 kickboxers to ever live. I mean in multiple titles at the highest level comes in a short period of time and just becomes a two, like middle weight champion, goes to light heavyweight, becomes champion and being one of the biggest names, always, like always ready to fight.”
After acknolweding Pereira’s impressive and quick rise in MMA after a massively successful kickboxing career, he explained why the UFC light heavyweight kingpin is a special combat sports athelete:
“I have the world’s respect for him as a fighter, I think and you know, as a person even I think. We are rivals, but, you know, I have the utmost respect for what he’s achieved in the sport and he’s truly one of the goats to ever. Not [just] MMA or in the UFC , in combat sports. I think, probably, the most acheived combat sports athlete the world’s ever seen.”
As of now, Du Plessis is locked in for what could be another slugfest with Strickland on Saturday at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Although the middlweight division is stacked with contenders like Khamzat Chimaev, Nassourdine Imavov, and Caio Borralho, the champion might show interest in moving up for a superfight against Pereira.