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Robert Whittaker On The ‘Million Dollar Question’ That Could Determine Who Wins UFC 305 Main Event

Robert Whittaker has his eyes firmly set on the upcoming middleweight title clash between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya, which will headline UFC 305, and for good reason. Recently, he shared his thoughts on how this highly anticipated bout might unfold. “Stillknocks” is poised to put his middleweight title on the line for the […]

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“Stillknocks” is poised to put his middleweight title on the line for the first time in a rivalry-fueled showdown against Adesanya, scheduled for this weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.

Du Plessis was initially lined up to face Adesanya following his knockout win over Whittaker at UFC 290 in July 2023. However, destiny intervened, as an injury sidelined the undefeated South African contender. Meanwhile, “The Last Stylebender” suffered a shocking loss, surrendering his title to Strickland at UFC 293 last September.

Du Plessis marked his victorious comeback by edging out Strickland in a split decision, capturing the 185-pound title at UFC 297 this past January. With renewed confidence, he has boldly declared his belief that he will defeat Adesanya, who is returning to the Octagon after an 11-month self-imposed hiatus—the longest break of his UFC career.

If that scenario unfolds, “Stillknocks” has hinted that his next title defense will likely be against the winner of Whittaker’s upcoming clash with the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev, scheduled for UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi on October 26.

Having squared off against both UFC 305 main eventers—especially Adesanya, whom he’s faced twice—”The Reaper” possesses a rare perspective on the hurdles each will likely face when they clash in the Octagon this Saturday night…

Whittaker Predicts Adesanya’s Lessons From Strickland Loss Could Affect Du Plessis Bout

During a recent appearance on the MMArcade Podcast, Whittaker delved into the upcoming clash between Du Plessis and Adesanya, noting that it’s hard for him to predict a clear winner. The former UFC middleweight champion pointed out that both fighters last stepped into the Octagon against Strickland, but their contrasting strategies led to very different results.

“I guess it’s very hard to put a hard pick on either one of them,” Whittaker said. “But I’ll say all we can look at is historically, like their previous fights. Dricus, in his last fight against Strickland, moved forward, put pressure on Strickland, didn’t let Strickland do that to him, shut his game down, was very aggressive, created that space, and didn’t let Strickland really find the rhythm that he likes to fight in.

Strickland, prior to that fight, fought Adesanya and did exactly that to Israel—pushed into his space and didn’t allow Adesanya to utilize that dangerous space that he likes fighting in. He crowded him to a point where he didn’t let him have any free distancing from the fence so that he could move away. He kept Adesanya’s back to the fence for 90% of the fight and beat Adesanya by decision.”

“The Reaper” went on to highlight that a pivotal aspect of this fight will be whether Adesanya has fine-tuned his skills during his time off after the loss to Strickland. He noted that it will be crucial to see if Adesanya can effectively counter Du Plessis’ relentless pressure and close-quarters exchanges.

“Dricus was able to push that plan against Strickland that Strickland was able to push against Adesanya, so you would have to think Dricus is going to push that same plan on Adesanya. And I guess the million-dollar question is, what has Izzy done in his layoff since the Strickland fight to make sure that doesn’t happen again? Because you can bet your bottom dollar Dricus is going to push into that.”

Read More: Sean Strickland’s Coach Breaks Down Du Plessis vs. Adesanya: ‘You’re Not Gonna Find Many People That Fight Like Him…’

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Rising UFC Middleweight Contender Predicts UFC 305: Du Plessis vs Adesanya: ‘The Two Styles Don’t Match At All…’

One of the biggest fights of the year goes down this weekend at UFC 305 when Dricus Du Plessis looks to defend the middleweight title against Israel Adesanya. The two men have been on a collision course with one another for some time now, with all roads eventually leading to Perth, Australia on August 17. […]

Continue Reading Rising UFC Middleweight Contender Predicts UFC 305: Du Plessis vs Adesanya: ‘The Two Styles Don’t Match At All…’ at MMA News.

One of the biggest fights of the year goes down this weekend at UFC 305 when Dricus Du Plessis looks to defend the middleweight title against Israel Adesanya.

The two men have been on a collision course with one another for some time now, with all roads eventually leading to Perth, Australia on August 17.

However, an interesting match-up doesn’t always make for the greatest of fights, especially when you have someone that is as skilled in one area as Adesanya.

The former two-time champion presents a difficult test for Du Plessis who usually relies on his power, aggression and output to get his hand raised. which won’t be easy against the precision striking of “The Last Stylebender”.

One of the division’s most exciting contenders believes that the clash of styles will end up going the way of the challenger.

Caio Borralho Believes That Israel Adesanya Has The Advantage In This Style Match-up

In a recent interview with Kevin Iole, Caio Borralho said that he believes Adesanya’s style will be a perfect counter to the constant forward motion of the champion.

Borralho has gone 6-0 in the middleweight division and will now look to put himself in the title picture when he faces Jared Cannonier in his first main event spotlight.

He sees that unlike what Sean Strickland was able to do against Adesanya in the shock upset at UFC 293 last year, Du Plessis doesn’t have the right style to stop the former champ from reclaiming the top spot.

“I think this time, I think Adesanya is going to win this fight. I think stylistically, the two styles doesn’t match a little, doesn’t match at all. I think Dricus just goes forward, try to punch and push the pace up, but I think Israel Adesanya is going to manage the distance all the time, circle up and kick a lot on Dricus and I think he can win by decision during the fifth round or maybe a good knockout in the third round if Dricus gets tired.”

Continue Reading Rising UFC Middleweight Contender Predicts UFC 305: Du Plessis vs Adesanya: ‘The Two Styles Don’t Match At All…’ at MMA News.

UFC Full Fight: Relive Dricus Du Plessis’ Title Win Over Sean Strickland Ahead Of His UFC 305 Defense

UFC 305 headliner Dricus Du Plessis achieved his title ambitions on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage this past January. The middleweight champion will return in the main event of this weekend’s pay-per-view card at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, where he’s tasked with defending his belt in a grudge match against Israel Adesanya. The South African’s […]

Continue Reading UFC Full Fight: Relive Dricus Du Plessis’ Title Win Over Sean Strickland Ahead Of His UFC 305 Defense at MMA News.

UFC 305 headliner Dricus Du Plessis achieved his title ambitions on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage this past January.

The middleweight champion will return in the main event of this weekend’s pay-per-view card at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, where he’s tasked with defending his belt in a grudge match against Israel Adesanya.

The South African’s first chance to extend his reign comes seven months on from his crowning at UFC 297 in Toronto, Canada. He headlined the promotion’s first PPV of 2024 in competition for the 185-pound gold, which was then held by Sean Strickland.

“Stillknocks” brought the American’s divisional rule to a quick end, falling on the right side of a split decision after five rounds of competitive action to rip the title from Strickland’s grasp in his very first defense.

Ahead of Saturday’s event, the promotion has released the full Du Plessis vs. Strickland fight from UFC 297 on its official YouTube channel.

Du Plessis will now look to ensure he achieves a feat that Strickland failed to this year by recording a successful defense. To do so, he must stall Adesanya’s push for a historic three-time title crowning.

The Nigerian-New Zealander will be making his return after losing the belt to Strickland close to a year ago. To regain it, Adesanya has his South African rival’s UFC 0 in his sights.

Read More: Alexander Volkanovski Predicts ‘Paulo Costa’ Performance For Israel Adesanya In UFC 305 Return: ‘Dricus Is A Tough Guy, But…’

Continue Reading UFC Full Fight: Relive Dricus Du Plessis’ Title Win Over Sean Strickland Ahead Of His UFC 305 Defense at MMA News.

Dricus du Plessis Stats: UFC 305 Champion Breakdown

Ahead of UFC 305, let’s take a look at some Dricus du Plessis Stats. The UFC world champion has…

Ahead of UFC 305, let’s take a look at some Dricus du Plessis Stats. The UFC world champion has made a splash in the world of MMA with his impressive win streak cutting through the middleweight division. This weekend, the South African athlete will look to defend his crown against the former middleweight titleholder Israel Adesanya.

Dricus du Plessis Stats

Before making his debut in the UFC, Dricus du Plessis had earned titles in EFC and KSW. Once he started his run through the middleweight division, the South African-born fighter was able to defeat notable opponents such as Derek Brunson, Darren Till, and Robert Whittaker, before capturing the title against Sean Strickland. He competed in Judo and Wrestling when he was young and would add K-1 Kickboxing later to his repertoire.

Dricus du Plessis Stats: He has a significant strike rate of 6.49 per minute with a striking accuracy of 50%. Defensively, he absorbs 4.77 significant strikes per minute while maintaining a significant strike defense rate of 55%. In fact, among all middleweights in UFC history, Dricus Du Plessis holds the record for most significant strikes landed per minute.

In terms of grappling, which is his base, Du Plessis averages 3.00 takedowns per 15 minutes with a takedown accuracy of 51%. However, his takedown defense stands at 40%. Additionally, he attempts an average of 0.8 submissions per 15 minutes, showcasing his capability to threaten opponents with submission holds.

Dricus du Plessis Height and Reach

The 30-year-old Dricus Du Plessis is a switch fighter, he will rotate between southpaw and orthodox stances. Standing at 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing 185 pounds. That is 1.83 m and 84 kg. More Dricus du Plessis Stats, he has a reach of 76 inches, 193 cm.

Dricus du Plessis Record

Overall in MMA, ‘Stillknocks‘ Dricus du Plessis’ Record is 21-2-0, meaning 21 victories with 2 losses and no draws. In the UFC, he has a perfect record of 7-0. He tends to finish his fight as only two of his wins have gone to decision, while 9 were won by knockout and 10 were won via submission.

More Dricus du Plessis Stats:

Where is Dricus Du Plessis from?

Dricus Du Plessis is from South Africa. He was born in Welkom, Orange Free State, South Africa. Today he lives in Hatfield, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.

How Old is Dricus Du Plessis?

Thirty years old.

Dricus du Plessis laughs off Islam Makahchev middleweight threat: 'Everybody can dream'

At UFC 305, upcoming on Saturday, Dricus du Plessis will look to defend his UFC middleweight world title against the Nigerian-Kiwi sharpshooter Israel Adesanya.

Israel Adesanya Slams Dricus du Plessis for ‘Privileged Life’ in South Africa

Israel Adesanya has taken aim at Dricus Du Plessis for his privileged life in South Africa. Adesanya is looking…

Israel Adesanya has taken aim at Dricus Du Plessis for his privileged life in South Africa.

Adesanya is looking to reclaim his middleweight title in the main event of UFC 305 in Perth, Australia on Saturday. It’s an intriguing matchup, and in the lead-up to the bout, the two have traded shots with one another.

Now, ahead of UFC 305, Israel Adesanya has taken aim at Du Plessis for living a privileged life in South Africa.

“I want him to take accountability for his remarks,” Israel Adesanya told TMZ Sports (via MMAFighting). “Abdul Razak [Alhassan] said it before his fight about three weeks ago, saying, ‘I respect Dricus, but he’s a b*tch for what he said.’ He’s a b*tch. Because Dricus is saying, ‘I trained in Africa. I do this in Africa,’ and people like Razak and myself who are forced to flee our own country because of a better opportunity, he’ll never understand that because he lives behind the f*cking gates of his privileged life in South Africa, and he’s able to do that there.

“So, someone like Francis [Ngannou], who had to cross the desert to go overseas to go train. If you know Francis’ story, you can’t call him not a real African champion because he didn’t train in Africa. Like, bro. Are you f*cking kidding?” he concluded. “The guy got sent back out to the desert six, seven times to go die, and he survived.”

The press conference for UFC 305 will be a must-watch as the two do not like one another.

Dricus du Plessis claims Israel Adesanya should have retired last year I saw it in his eyes

Israel Adesanya plans to take Dricus Du Plessis’ head off

Israel Adesanya enters UFC 305 as the slight betting favorite as he looks to reclaim his middleweight title.

Heading into the bout, Adesanya says he won’t just win, but he plans to take Du Plessis’ head off to get the win.

“You said I’m looking to be the first three-time UFC middleweight champion. I’m not looking to do that. I’m looking to take his head off,” Adesanya said on ‘The Rock‘ (via SI). “That’s all I’m looking to do. I’m going after him, and this is not wolf tickets. I feel different. So, I just wanna go in there, and I have nothing to lose. That keeps me free. I’ve already been the champion once.”

Adesanya hasn’t fought since September of last year when he suffered a decision loss to Sean Strickland to lose his middleweight title.

Israel Adesanya Reiterates Fury With ‘Privileged’ Dricus Du Plessis’ Comments: ‘Not Like Francis, Who Had To Cross The Desert…’

Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya remains motivated to make Dricus Du Plessis pay for some of his remarks at UFC 305. Having not competed since losing the title in shocking fashion against Sean Strickland last September, Adesanya will make his return to action opposite the man against whom “Tarzan” fell off the throne […]

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Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya remains motivated to make Dricus Du Plessis pay for some of his remarks at UFC 305.

Having not competed since losing the title in shocking fashion against Sean Strickland last September, Adesanya will make his return to action opposite the man against whom “Tarzan” fell off the throne earlier this year.

After an injury to Du Plessis scuppered plans for the pair to collide in Australia 11 months ago, “Stillknocks” and “The Last Stylebender” are now just days away from a battle Down Under, one that the South African will enter as the divisional kingpin.

Du Plessis and Adesanya have long gone back and forth over the former’s remarks about African heritage. In addition to branding himself the “real African” in the UFC in one of his first post-fight interviews, the South African has pointed to his continued stay in the continent as a relevant point compared to the likes of Adesanya and Kamaru Usman.

Adesanya Vows To Show Du Plessis The Error Of His ‘Colonialist’ Mindset

During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Adesanya looked ahead to his mixed martial arts comeback and further commented on the sensitive topic that built his feud with Du Plessis early last year.

The Nigerian-New Zealander reiterated his frustration with his upcoming opponent’s mindset, pointing to his journey and stories such as that of Francis Ngannou as examples Du Plessis ignored when branding himself the “real African” in the UFC.

“It’s not personal, personal. I just want him to take accountability for his remarks,” Adesanya said. “Dricus is saying, ‘I train in Africa, I do this in Africa,’ and then people like (Abdul) Razak (Alhassan) and myself, who were forced to flee our own country because of better opportunities, he’ll never understand that because he lives behind the f*cking gates of his privileged life in South Africa.

“Not like someone like Francis, who had to cross the desert to go overseas to go train. If you know Francis’ story, you can’t call him not a real African champion because he didn’t train in Africa,” Adesanya continued. “It’s like, bro, are you f*cking kidding? The guy got sent back out to the desert six, seven times to go die and he survived. … We paved the way for him and he comes out there and tries to take it all for himself. I wonder where he got that from? … ‘I see this and want it all for myself.’ … What kind of mindset is that? … That’s a colonialist mindset.”

Adesanya will look to settle his grudge with Du Plessis within the steel surroundings of the Octagon this weekend, when he makes the walk to it for the first time in close to a year.

Should he have his hand raised in Perth, more than just emerging victorious from what appears to be a heated grudge match with the South African, “The Last Stylebender” will achieve a historic three-time crowning.

Read More: Former Fighter On Du Plessis Getting Under Adesanya’s Skin: ‘Reacts Incredibly Emotionally’

Continue Reading Israel Adesanya Reiterates Fury With ‘Privileged’ Dricus Du Plessis’ Comments: ‘Not Like Francis, Who Had To Cross The Desert…’ at MMA News.