dricus du plessis | UFC Betting Sites - The Best MMA Online Bookies

Dricus Du Plessis Picks His Preference Between Strickland Rematch Or Chimaev

Since his submission win over Israel Adesanya in August, it’s looked like Dricus Du Plessis’ next defense of his middleweight title would be against a former foe. Sean Strickland has stuck to his guns that he’s the next in line for the title despite the actions of other contenders. The former champion was beaten by […]

Continue Reading Dricus Du Plessis Picks His Preference Between Strickland Rematch Or Chimaev at MMA News.

The former champion was beaten by Du Plessis in January where he lost the belt via a split decision, rebounding with a win over Paulo Costa at UFC 302. Strickland getting his rematch looked like it was on the cards for early next year until the aftermath of UFC 308 this past weekend.

In the co-main event, Khamzat Chimaev submitted former champion Robert Whittaker in the first round to maintain his undefeated record and earn his biggest win to date. As a result, “Borz” has shot up the middleweight rankings, climbing ten places. When you look back at both men’s performances, it’s clear to see who the fans are more excited in seeing challenge Du Plessis next time out.

During a recent interview with Radioraps, the 185-pound king gave his thoughts on the current situation, stating which fight interests him more at this moment in time. Considering that he’s beaten Strickland before and Chimaev is one of the most talked about fighters in the world right now, his decision was an easy one.

“I think we always knew that between Rob and Khamzat, if there was going to be something exceptional that happens, there might be a change in the title fight. We have no clarity on that but as a fan of the sport and as the middleweight champion of the world, that’s a fight that gets me more excited. You know, taking somebody’s 0.

“I’ve beaten Strickland before and I know I’ll beat him again so now getting that Khamzat fight, that gets me excited. I think the whole world, the fans want to see it. The fans ultimately pay to watch the fights so the fight the world thinks is the best next fight, that’s what I want. So yeah, I think the Khamzat fight is 100% what I want, the UFC is going to do what they’re going to do.”

Continue Reading Dricus Du Plessis Picks His Preference Between Strickland Rematch Or Chimaev at MMA News.

After Snapping Pereira’s Streak, Anthony Hernandez Vows to Reach Dricus Du Plessis: “I’ll Show the F—k Out”

After Snapping Pereira's Streak, Anthony Hernandez Vows to Reach Dricus Du Plessis: “I’ll Show the F—k Out” After his dominant performance at UFC Vegas 99, Anthony Hernandez is ready for a shot at middleweight champion Dricus…

After his dominant performance at UFC Vegas 99, Anthony Hernandez is ready for a shot at middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis.

Saturday’s event inside The APEX saw its fair share of decisions with nine of the 11 fights going to the scorecards. However, the judges weren’t needed for the main event as Hernandez put it on opponent Michel Pereira for four full rounds before scoring a TKO just past the two-minute mark of the fifth.

Hernandez extended his unbeaten streak to six and outlanded Pereira by 128 significant strikes, a new single-fight UFC middleweight record. The record was previously held by Rich Franklin who outstruck David Loiseau by 106 strikes at UFC 58 all the way back in March 2006.

Hernandez also landed 97 significant ground strikes and attempted 29 takedowns, both single-fight records in the division.

Anthony Hernandez has his sights set on Dricus Du Plessis

As for what comes next, ‘Fluffy’ is keeping his eyes on the prize. That being the UFC middleweight world title.

“I think [what] would be a great fight realistically and who mixes it up really well would be Du Plessis,” Hernandez said at the post-fight press conference. “He mixes it very f*cking well, and that’s why he’s champion right now. He’s just a tough motherf*cker, and he goes.

“He looks like he’s gassed, and he keeps pushing. I’d love to fight him. I’m just going to keep climbing the ladder so I can get to him. Great job to him. Keep up the great work, man” (h/t MMA Mania).

Hernandez was previously scheduled to face Du Plessis in April 2022, but the bout never came to fruition. Since then, ‘DDP’ has gone on to become the middleweight division’s top dog, defeating Sean Strickland to take the title in January before successfully defending it against Israel Adesanya over the summer.

But as ready as he thinks he is, ‘Fluffy’ recognizes that he’ll likely have to go out there and win one or two more before getting that opportunity.

“Hopefully [I get a No. 1 contender fight next], but probably not,” Hernandez said. “There are guys ahead of me. I’m not stupid. I know how this sh*t works. It’s all about timing and sh*t. I’m just going to keep doing what I do. I’m going to stay ready, and when my time comes, I’m going to show the f*ck out, and I’ll get it eventually.”

Dricus Du Plessis’ Coach Says Khamzat Chimaev Will Be ‘Out Of His League’ Against Robert Whittaker

Despite having fought seven times inside the Octagon, the potential of Khamzat Chimaev still has some question marks hanging over it. Listen to anyone that trains with the middleweight contender and they will tell you that he’s the champion in waiting. However, his recent performances and issues with staying active have significantly pumped the breaks […]

Continue Reading Dricus Du Plessis’ Coach Says Khamzat Chimaev Will Be ‘Out Of His League’ Against Robert Whittaker at MMA News.

However, his recent performances and issues with staying active have significantly pumped the breaks on what was once the biggest hype train in the entire sport.

We will find out this weekend at UFC 308 where Chimaev ranks amongst the rest of the middleweight division when he faces former champion Robert Whittaker. “The Reaper” has fought many of the top contenders and has only lost at 185-pounds to two champions in Israel Adesanya and Dricus Du Plessis.

Even in a win that looks great on paper over Kamaru Usman last time out, there was some doubters due to how close the fight was despite Usman stepping up a weight class as a short notice replacement for Paulo Costa. This won’t be the same for a victory against someone that is as highly regarded and proven as Whittaker.

In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Du Plessis’ coach Morne Visser weighed in with his thoughts on the fight. Having spent time preparing his fighter to face Whittaker in the past, he knows how good the former champion is.

He believes that Whittaker won’t just get the win on Saturday night, he will show that Chimaev isn’t ready to compete with the best guys in the weight class.

“That fight against Usman, who’s a genuine welterweight, was way too close for me. His stand-up is, in my opinion, suspect. His wrestling, he couldn’t do anything with Usman and Rob’s stand-up is phenomenal, his wrestling and his ground work’s awesome so I honestly think Khamzat’s out of his league here. He’s gotta go back to welter where he maybe stands a chance to become something or become a champion. At this stage, I honestly think Rob beats Khamzat and I don’t think it’s gonna be on points, he’s going to grind him. Rob’s a tough dude and he’s smart and he’s got a smart team behind him.”

Continue Reading Dricus Du Plessis’ Coach Says Khamzat Chimaev Will Be ‘Out Of His League’ Against Robert Whittaker at MMA News.

Anthony Hernandez Assesses Future Dricus Du Plessis Clash After UFC Fight Night Win

UFC middleweight contender Anthony Hernandez has a firm eye on Dricus Du Plessis and his gold. The fan favorite boosted his chances of booking a spot opposite the reigning champion at 185 pounds down the line on Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night card at the Apex, where he emerged victorious from his maiden main event. […]

Continue Reading Anthony Hernandez Assesses Future Dricus Du Plessis Clash After UFC Fight Night Win at MMA News.

UFC middleweight contender Anthony Hernandez has a firm eye on Dricus Du Plessis and his gold.

The fan favorite boosted his chances of booking a spot opposite the reigning champion at 185 pounds down the line on Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night card at the Apex, where he emerged victorious from his maiden main event.

Hernandez emphatically ended the winning run of Michel Pereira, putting a beating on the Brazilian across four rounds before forcing the TKO stoppage in the final frame.

During his post-fight press conference, Hernandez outlined his plans to repeat the performance he put in all the way to the top.

When he gets there, the current title scenario in the middleweight division would see the #13-ranked contender challenge the reign of Du Plessis, which commenced at the expense of Sean Strickland at the start of 2024 and has already gone through Israel Adesanya.

Hernandez looked ahead to a potential clash with “Stillknocks” in the future with a respectful assessment of the champ’s style, which has continually proved fans and analysts wrong on MMA’s biggest stage.

“I think it would be a great fight. Realistically, who mixes it up really well would be Du Plessis,” Hernandez said. “He mixes it very f*cking well, and that’s why he’s champion right now. He’s just a tough motherf*cker and he goes. He looks like he’s gassed and he keeps pushing. I’d love to fight him. I’m just going to keep climbing the ladder so I can get to him. Great job to him. Keep up the great work, man.”

Hernandez would seem to have a decent chunk of work to do before standing opposite the middleweight kingpin, however.

And after defending his spot on the ladder this past weekend to make it six wins on the bounce, the 31-year-old will no doubt be setting his sights on the top 10 next time out.

Read More: Renan Ferreira Issues First Statement On Brutal PFL Loss To Francis Ngannou: ‘A Bit Broken…’

Continue Reading Anthony Hernandez Assesses Future Dricus Du Plessis Clash After UFC Fight Night Win at MMA News.

Sean Strickland’s Coach Drops Bombshell DM From Dricus du Plessis Before UFC Title Rematch

Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland is on a second collision course with Dricus du Plessis, as the current…

Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland is on a second collision course with Dricus du Plessis, as the current titleholder seemed to confirm in a recent text.

Du Plessis captured the UFC middleweight title by defeating Strickland in an instant classic at UFC 297. It was a back-and-forth war from start to finish, and du Plessis walked away with the split decision victory.

After defending the belt against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, du Plessis will likely face Strickland for his second title defense. Strickland got back on track with a largely-dominant win over Paulo Costa in June.

While the first buildup to du Plessis vs. Strickland got personal, things might take a more respectful turn this time around.

Coach Eric Nicksick shares text from Dricus du Plessis ahead of Sean Strickland rematch

In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, coach Eric Nicksick revealed a classy message from du Plessis ahead of the Strickland run-back.

“It’s hard to emulate what Dricus does because he’s very unorthodox but knows what he’s doing in his own style. There are so many things that we didn’t do right [at UFC 297]… I’m looking forward to this matchup again, Dricus wrote [to] me a couple of days ago, he’s like, ‘Yo, I’m excited to go against you again bro,’” Nicksick said of the Du Plessis vs. Strickland rematch. “I have all the love and respect for Dricus and his team, but this is our job.” (h/t SportsKeeda)

Du Plessis is undefeated in his UFC tenure with wins against the likes of Robert Whittaker, Derek Brunson, and Darren Till. He’s emerged as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world despite an unorthodox style.

Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2 could kick off the 2025 UFC slate almost a full year after their first fight. In the meantime, both sides seem transfixed on their rematch ahead of a likely announcement.

Sean Strickland To Train With Bellator Champion For Dricus Du Plessis Rematch

It is all but official that Sean Strickland will be fighting Dricus Du Plessis for the UFC middleweight championship next. When they last fought in January 2024, DDP won a razor-close split decision to become the new champion. Strickland returned in June 2024 to win yet another split decision, this time against Paulo Costa which […]

Continue Reading Sean Strickland To Train With Bellator Champion For Dricus Du Plessis Rematch at MMA News.

Strickland returned in June 2024 to win yet another split decision, this time against Paulo Costa which he believed to be enough for another title shot. Du Plessis, on the other hand, defended the title against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, becoming the first fighter to submit “The Last Stylebender.”

To ensure Strickland doesn’t lose the rematch, Eric Nicksick will rely on a Bellator champion who brings out the best in his fighter…

Sean Strickland’s Coach Trusts Johhny Eblen With Emulating Dricus Du Plessis’ Style In Training

Nicksick recently appeared on the MMAFightingonSBN YouTube channel to discuss his fighters like Francis Ngannou, Strickland, and Daniel Zellhuber. When asked about the former UFC middleweight champion, he admitted that a better game plan could’ve helped him beat “Stillknocks”.

The coach then brought up Johnny Eblen, the reigning Bellator middleweight champion. The undefeated American fighter has defended the belt three times and will rematch Fabian Edwards in the upcoming Saudi Arabia card. After healing up from the fight, Nicksick expects Eblen to join Strickland in training for DDP.

“I’m bringing in Johnny Eblen, for sure. Like, I brought Johhny in, we brought Johnny in for, well, we bring him in all the time but Johnny will fight on the Saudi card so once he gets healed up and ready to come, we’ll have him out here. Johnny brings the best out of Sean, and in styles, I think Johnny can emulate so many different styles for us. He’s another guy I consider a teammate although he’s a, you know, ATT champion. We cross train quite a bit so I’m gonna lean heavy on Johnny Eblen this camp.”

The coach credited Du Plessis for having an unorthodox yet effective fighting style. Although it is hard to copy such a fighter, he believes Eblen to be the best at it. Despite being an American Top Team fighter, he regularly cross-trains at Xtreme Couture.

On top of having the best training partners possible, Nicksick wants to rectify a bunch of errors this time around. He highlighted Strickland’s high dependency on his jab and believes adding more tools to his fighter’s arsenal could be worthwhile.

ALSO READ: Bisping Sees UFC Championship Potential In Artem Vakhitov

Continue Reading Sean Strickland To Train With Bellator Champion For Dricus Du Plessis Rematch at MMA News.