Tag: dricus du plessis

VIDEO: UFC 305 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya

Fight week for the UFC 305 pay-per-view this Saturday night has kicked off with the release of the promotion’s latest Countdown episode. Under the spotlight in this edition is the headliner between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya. Saturday’s lineup is topped by a championship rematch, with middleweight kingpin Du Plessis (21-2) looking to add a first […]

Continue Reading VIDEO: UFC 305 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya at MMA News.

Fight week for the UFC 305 pay-per-view this Saturday night has kicked off with the release of the promotion’s latest Countdown episode. Under the spotlight in this edition is the headliner between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya.

Saturday’s lineup is topped by a championship rematch, with middleweight kingpin Du Plessis (21-2) looking to add a first successful defense to his reign, which got underway with a victory over Sean Strickland at UFC 297 in Toronto, Canada, this past January. He earned that shot with a monumental triumph over the highly regarded Robert Whittaker during last year’s International Fight Week in Las Vegas.

If “Stillknocks” is to continue his rule atop the 185-pound mountain, he must record a victory over the returning Adesanya (24-3). “The Last Stylebender” will be making his comeback 11 months on from losing the middleweight gold in shocking fashion to Strickland in Sydney.

The Nigerian-New Zealander will be back competing on Australian soil once again, with Perth’s RAC Arena potentially hosting his historic crowning as three-time champ should he hand his South African rival the first loss of his career on MMA’s biggest stage.

Ahead of that contest Down Under, fans can catch a preview in the full episode of UFC 305 Countdown on the promotion’s YouTube channel.

UFC 305 Countdown: Full Episode

And below, check out the full card for this weekend’s numbered event.

Main Card:

  • Middleweight Championship Main Event: Dricus Du Plessis (C) vs. Israel Adesanya
  • Flyweight Co-Main Event: Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg
  • Lightweight: Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dan Hooker
  • Heavyweight: Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
  • Welterweight: Li Jingliang vs. Carlos Prates

Preliminary Card:

  • Heavyweight: Junior Tafa vs. Valter Walker
  • Featherweight: Joshua Culibao vs. Ricardo Ramos
  • Women’s Flyweight: Casey O’Neill vs. Luana Santos
  • Featherweight: Jack Jenkins vs. Herbert Burns

Early Preliminary Card:

  • Lightweight: Tom Nolan vs. Alex Reyes
  • Welterweight: Song Kenan vs. Rick Glenn
  • Flyweight: Stewart Nicoll vs. Jesus Aguilar

Be sure to keep it right here on MMANews.com this week for all the updates and news on UFC 305!

Continue Reading VIDEO: UFC 305 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya at MMA News.

Dricus Du Plessis: Israel Adesanya’s Fire Is Nothing Compared to Mine

Dricus Du Plessis Israel AdesanyaAt UFC 305, Dricus Du Plessis will attempt to defend his UFC middleweight title for the first time. He…

Dricus Du Plessis Israel Adesanya

At UFC 305, Dricus Du Plessis will attempt to defend his UFC middleweight title for the first time. He will face a man who dominated the division as champion for years, Israel Adesanya.

Du Plessis and Adesanya have traded barbs for years now. ‘Stillknocks’ even admits that he doesn’t like Adesanya and will surely be relishing the opportunity to earn a victory against ‘The Last Stylebender’.

“If I’m in his head, I can’t tell you.  He feels the energy.  I can tell you that much,” Du Plessis told SHAK MMA (H/T MMA Weekly).  “I made the statement that his fire is gone, and I don’t believe that.  I think the fire is still there.  I just believe my fire is just; his fire is insignificant to mine.  

“The passion and fire that I have in me, the passion burning, is overshadowing his.  That’s why I can’t even see his fire, and I can’t feel it because the fire burning inside of me is so intense,” Dricus Du Plessis stated.  “Do I think I’m in his head?  Maybe not, but I do know that he’s in his own head.  That’s for sure.”

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

Dricus Du Plessis doubts Israel Adesanya’s motivation

Obviously, Du Plessis firmly believes that his inner fire is just simply superior to that of the former champion Israel Adesanya. It has been a long time since the MMA world witnessed Adesanya in action. He last fought at UFC 293 and suffered a frustrating loss via unanimous decision at the hands of the scandalous Sean Strickland.

Since then, Adesanya has taken some seemingly much-needed time off and now has the opportunity to re-capture his lost title. The stylistic matchup between the two men is very interesting. Many would give Du Plessis the grappling edge, but only time will tell if the South African champion will be able to utilize this advantage.

Who do you think walks away victorious between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya at UFC 305?

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

Sean Strickland’s coach, Eric Nicksick, recently offered insights on the upcoming title showdown between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya set for UFC 305. Du Plessis is set to make the first defense of his middleweight title in a much-awaited showdown of fierce rivalry against Adesanya, headlining the pay-per-view event on August 17 at the […]

Continue Reading Sean Strickland’s Coach Breaks Down Du Plessis vs. Adesanya: ‘You’re Not Gonna Find Many People That Fight Like Him…’ at MMA News.

Sean Strickland’s coach, Eric Nicksick, recently offered insights on the upcoming title showdown between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya set for UFC 305.

Du Plessis is set to make the first defense of his middleweight title in a much-awaited showdown of fierce rivalry against Adesanya, headlining the pay-per-view event on August 17 at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.

“Stillknocks” was originally targeted to challenge Adesanya after his impressive victory over Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 in July 2023. However, fate had other plans, as an injury sidelined the South African. In the meantime, “The Last Stylebender” suffered an unexpected defeat, losing the middleweight title to Strickland at UFC 293.

Du Plessis made a triumphant return by defeating Strickland in a razor-close split decision, clinching the 185-pound title at UFC 297 this past January. Now, the stage is perfectly set for these two adversaries to finally settle their scores in the Octagon as Adesanya gears up to make his return after an 11-month hiatus—the longest of his UFC career.

Nicksick believes that both fighters are evenly matched heading into UFC 305, but the outcome will hinge on just how much “The Last Stylebender” has sharpened his skills during his time away from the competition…

Nicksick Calls Du Plessis vs. Adesanya a ’50-50′ Battle

During a recent interview with MMAFightingonSBN, Nicksick dissected the highly anticipated clash between Du Plessis and Adesanya. The renowned MMA coach predicted that both fighters stand on equal footing with an even chance of victory. However, he emphasized that much will depend on how well the former UFC middleweight champion performs after such a lengthy hiatus from the sport.

“I kind of consider it a 50-50 coin flip, man. I really do. I’m very curious to see what type of Izzy comes back,” Nicksick said. “In a lot of ways, selfishly, I’m pulling for him because, you know, the division is much better with a talented and, you know, championship-level Israel Adesanya in the division.”

Nicksick went on to say that, based on Du Plessis’ performance against Strickland, he sees “Stillknocks” as the favorite. He noted that Du Plessis’ unorthodox style makes him a formidable challenge for Adesanya, potentially giving him the edge in this matchup.

“I really took a liking to Dricus over the last year or so. I wouldn’t say we’re close, but we’re friendly and very respectful towards one another, and I’m pulling for him in a lot of ways because I think he has been severely overlooked over the years. He’s a problem, man, and he’s only getting better. I think the way he’s starting to fight and understand who and what he is as a fighter—he’s awkward in a way like Sean is, but with more power, right? It’s hard—it’s very hard. It was very difficult for us to find particular sparring partners for Dricus’ camp. You’re not going to find many people that can fight like him.”

Du Plessis and Adesanya have been on a collision course long before their fiery face-off at UFC 290. Their upcoming showdown promises to be a captivating spectacle, as both fighters bring their own distinctive and formidable fighting styles to the table.

Continue Reading Sean Strickland’s Coach Breaks Down Du Plessis vs. Adesanya: ‘You’re Not Gonna Find Many People That Fight Like Him…’ at MMA News.

Islam Makhachev’s Coach Discusses Potential Middleweight Title Fight Against Du Plessis & Adesanya

Islam Makhachev will have been happy to see Belal Muhammad become the welterweight champion at UFC 304 after the training they have done together in the past. However, there is a sense that this result messed with the future plans of the lightweight champion. Had Leon Edwards defeated Muhammad and secured his third title defense, […]

Continue Reading Islam Makhachev’s Coach Discusses Potential Middleweight Title Fight Against Du Plessis & Adesanya at MMA News.

Islam Makhachev will have been happy to see Belal Muhammad become the welterweight champion at UFC 304 after the training they have done together in the past.

However, there is a sense that this result messed with the future plans of the lightweight champion.

Had Leon Edwards defeated Muhammad and secured his third title defense, Makhachev would have been high on the list of his potential challengers having laid out his ambition to become a two-weight world champion in the near future.

He now finds himself in a similar situation as to the one Kamaru Usman had during his welterweight title reign where he wanted a second belt but a friend of his, Israel Adesanya in Usman’s case, is the champion of the weight class above.

Just like how Usman briefly flirted with the idea of skipping over Adesanya’s division to jump up two weight classes instead, Makhachev has mentioned competing at middleweight.

Javier Mendez Gives His Take On Islam Makhachev Fighting At Middleweight

Though the idea was brushed off by the current middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis, maybe there is a future where Makhachev moves from 155 to 185.

He still has contenders to face in his own division and is set to be out for a bit longer due to a recently disclosed hand injury but the lightweight king has big ambitions.

In an interview with Submission Radio, his coach Javier Mendez spoke about what this would mean for Makhachev, revealing that whilst nothing serious has taken place, they have spoken about the idea.

“Islam said that middleweight would be kind of something but he’d have to put on some muscle so this is not just me, this is Islam thinking the same thing that yeah if it did ever come through, so it’s really not ideally something that we’re really looking at but it was something that was discussed but he’d have to put on some size if that was ever to happen.”

Mendez went on to say that whilst it would obviously be a tough and unheard of task to accomplish, he can understand why Makhachev would want to do it because it would define his legacy.

“If he was able to pull something like that off, if that ever was materialized and he did pull it off, that would put him in the top three pound-for-pound of all time.”

Read also: Belal Muhammad: There’s ‘Turmoil’ Between Leon Edwards & Coach After UFC 304 Loss

Continue Reading Islam Makhachev’s Coach Discusses Potential Middleweight Title Fight Against Du Plessis & Adesanya at MMA News.

Dricus Du Plessis Rejects Sean Strickland’s Title Shot: Wants Robert Whittaker or Khamzat Chimaev

Dricus Du Plessis Rejects Sean Strickland’s Title Shot: Wants Robert Whittaker or Khamzat ChimaevThe UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis has rejected Sean Strickland’s demands for a title shot. The South African…

Dricus Du Plessis Rejects Sean Strickland’s Title Shot: Wants Robert Whittaker or Khamzat Chimaev

The UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis has rejected Sean Strickland’s demands for a title shot. The South African titleholder had a close match with Strickland in which he captured UFC gold, but he thinks the fight against the US-born fighter will not be worth it.

Dricus Du Plessis On the Middleweight Title Picture

Looking at the middleweight division, Dricus Du Plessis explained that the winner between Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308 will get a shot at the middleweight crown. Robert Whittaker is a former UFC titleholder with a highly impressive career. ‘Borz’ Chimaev is an unbeaten fighter with tons of hype around his name. On discussing these two, the South African champion, in an interview with Shak MMA, said:

“If Whittaker beats Khamzat, he’s 100 percent getting the title shot. The UFC’s been wanting to give Khamzat a title shot since his debut. Maybe if it’s a draw, Khamzat will still get the title shot. Let’s see if he makes it to the fight.

“Whittaker does have the two wins. Strickland shouldn’t have been there in the first place, he got it by default and then proved that he deserved to be there. So that’s amazing. The winner of Khamzat and Whittaker is gonna get the title shot.” [Ht MMAMania]

Dricus Du Plessis Rejects Sean Strickland

Sean Strickland

On a potential showdown against Sean Strickland, Dricus Du Plessis said:

“Strickland says he’s gonna wait until he gets a title shot. He’s gonna wait for quite a while, in my opinion.”

Strickland, who is best known for his work outside the octagon, was able to capture the title against Israel Adesanya but lost his crown against Dricus Du Plessis. The US-born fighter Sean Strickland earned one win in the middleweight division, a snoozer, against Paulo Costa, and is now demanding a title shot. Du Plessis says no, and adds:

“It’s about the fight the fans want to see. Which one’s going to be the biggest fight? Which one do the fans think is going to be the best fight?”

But before he can look at his next title defense, Dricus Du Plessis will look to defend his middleweight title against the former champion Israel Adesanya. The two are booked to meet at UFC 305 on August 18.

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

Dricus du Plessis laughs off Islam Makahchev middleweight threat: 'Everybody can dream'Ahead of his own return at UFC 305 later this month, undisputed middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis has laughed…

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

Ahead of his own return at UFC 305 later this month, undisputed middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis has laughed off a potential move to his stomping ground for lightweight best, Islam Makhachev – claiming the Russian is entitled to “dream” like everybody else.

du Plessis, the current undisputed middleweight champion, headlines UFC 305 next weekend in Perth, Australia – taking on the returning former two-time titleholder, Israel Adesanya in his first defense of the divisional crown.

29424370243

Winning gold back in January at UFC 297, promotional-perfect star, du Plessis turned in a controversial spiit decision win over Sean Strickland, minting himself as the undisputed middleweight champion. 

Dricus du Plessis claims Islam Makhachev is dreaming too big

And ahead of his return against Adesanya in his first championship setting, du Plessis has laughed off prior claims from Makhachev’s head coach, Javier Mendez how his student is good enough to excel as high as middleweight.

Coach backs Islam Makhachev to make huge middleweight move: 'He's that good'

“Everybody can dream, right?” Dricus du Plessis told Kevin Iole. “I always say, never cap your dreams. Dream big, but he’s (Islam Makhachev) dreaming real big. I’m very big. Of course, in this sport, everybody wants that. Especially after it’s been done. I completely understand going up to another division and fighting for another belt because here comes a stage where it makes sense and Makhachev right now, there’s people still left to fight. …”

During his run through middleweight contenders, du Plessis became the first fighter other than incoming foe, Adesanya to defeat former gold holder, Robert Whittaker – stopping the ex-champion with a stunning knockout win in their title eliminator in the summer of last year. 

du plessis ufc 305

Prior to that, the Pretoria native stopped former welterweight title chaser, Darren Till with a third round neck crank in their high-profile pairing the December prior. 

Would Dricus du Plessis vs. Islam Makhachev be a competitive fight?