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Alex Pereira weighs up title fight with Dricus du Plessis after UFC 297: ‘Maybe one more rodeo at middleweight?’

Alex Pereira teases title fight with Dricus du Plessis after UFC 297 maybe one more rodeo at middleweight Receiving the offer of a light heavyweight title defense against Dricus du Plessis ahead of the former’s title fight…

Receiving the offer of a light heavyweight title defense against Dricus du Plessis ahead of the former’s title fight at UFC 297, following viewing last night in the South African’s victory over his teammate, Sean Strickland, former two-weight champion, Alex Pereira appears to be weighing up a potential final career foray at 185 pounds.

Pereira, a former undisputed middleweight champion and the current undisputed light heavyweight titleholder, has been sidelined since he landed the vacant belt back in November at UFC 295 in Madison Square Garden.

Turning in his second consecutive victory since his middleweight title defeat back in April, Pereira stopped the returning former titleholder, Jiri Prochazka with a devastating second round TKO win in New York.

Alex Pereira teases middleweight return

And receiving a call out from du Plessis ahead of UFC 297 – should he emerge victorious with a middleweight title in tow, following last night’s action, in which Pereira cornered former opponent, Strickland en route to a close split decision loss, the Brazilian teased a move back to his prior stomping grounds.

“Maybe one last rodeo at middleweight?” Alex Pereira posted on his official Instagram account.

However, appearing to switch his attention to long-time rival and would-be common-foe, Israel Adesanya after his title triumph at UFC 297, Pretoria native, du Plessis welcomed the possibility of a championship defense against the former two-time gold holder – as soon as UFC 300 in April in a quickfire Octagon return.

Yet to book his own return to the Octagon, Sao Paulo knockout artist, Pereira has been hot in his pursuit of a title fight with former gold holder, Jamahal Hill next, however, has also been the subject of speculation linking him similarly with a UFC 300 return – in the form of an interim heavyweight title fight against champion, Tom Aspinall.

Would you like to see Alex Pereira fight Dricus du Plessis?

Ian Garry Reacts to Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis’ UFC 297 Title Clash: ‘I’m Watching Two Amateurs Fight’

Welterweight standout Ian Garry was not impressed with the performances of Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis at UFC…

Welterweight standout Ian Garry was not impressed with the performances of Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297.

After five entertaining rounds of action, Du Plessis emerged victorious, scoring a closely contested split decision to claim his first UFC championship. While most of the MMA community was busy debating who deserved to leave Scotiabank Arena with the middleweight title around their waist, ‘The Future’ chose to display his disfavor for the promotion’s first pay-per-view headliner of 2024.

In a video posted to Garry’s social media, the fast-rising contender was unamused, going so far as to call Strickland and Du Plessis a couple of amateurs as they proceeded to slug it out during the latter half of their 25-minute affair.

“The f*cking state of this,” Garry commented while watching the title bout play out. “Zero technique. Just slugging it out now. Oh my god, I’m watching two amateurs fight. Oh my god. My dear Jesus Christ, if I ever have a fight like that, please tell me to retire.”

Reaction: Strickland vs Du Plessis pic.twitter.com/eFQVSIy58O

— “The Future” Ian Machado Garry (@iangarryMMA) January 21, 2024

Of course, there is no love lost between Ian Garry and Sean Strickland after ‘Tarzan’ attacked Garry’s relationship with his wife, 40-year-old TV personality Layla Anna-Lee. Strickland labeled her a “succubus” and a “predator” in a series of scathing rants that has ‘The Future’ plotting a potential showdown with Strickland inside the Octagon.

“F*ck you, Sean Strickland,” Garry said following Bruce Buffer’s announcement that Du Plessis was the new middleweight champ. “Now that fight’s even more available.”

Sean Strickland Blames Headbutt For Changing the Trajectory of His UFC 297 Title Fight: ‘Sucks to Lose That Way’

Sean Strickland thought he got the job done at UFC 297. Stepping into his first middleweight title defense, Strickland…

Sean Strickland thought he got the job done at UFC 297.

Stepping into his first middleweight title defense, Strickland and his South African opposition, Dricus Du Plessis, delivered an entertaining five-round scrap that saw ‘DDP’ escape with a razor-close split decision. Following the fight, Strickland took to social media and seemingly blamed an illegal headbutt for changing the course of the contest.

“Well f*ck haha… man that headbutt really made it difficult to see but I thought we got the job done,” Strickland wrote on X. “Blood and all!!! Onto the next one!!! Thanks everyone who supported me!!!!!!

Well fuck haha… man that headbutt really made it difficult to see but I thought we got the job done. Blood and all!!! Onto the next one!!! Thanks everyone who supported me!!!!!!

— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) January 21, 2024

He echoed a similar sentiment on Instagram.

“Big thanks to everyone who supported me!!!!!!!!! Took a headbutt that split open my eye, took a couple rounds to adjust to the blood running in my eyes,” Strickland wrote. “Sucks to lose that way but this is the game! I thought I won even not being able to see out of my left eye but that’s life! Onto the next! Told you I’d bleed for you!!!!!!”

Dana White had Sean Strickland Winning the UFC 297 Headliner

Strickland was not alone in his belief that he did enough to leave The Great White North with his middleweight title intact. UFC CEO Dana White revealed that he had scored the bout in favor of Strickland while addressing members of the media, as did longtime commentator Joe Rogan who live-streamed his immediate reaction to the somewhat controversial decision.

Du Plessis was asked about the alleged infraction during the evening’s post-fight press conference, where he answered that he was not aware of any foul, accidental or otherwise.

“No, I can’t say that I did,” Du Plessis said. “It’s the first time I’m hearing of it. No, I didn’t feel a head butt during the fight. … No, I can’t remember any head butt.”

The loss snapped Strickland’s three-fight win streak, which included his dominant performance against former two-time titleholder Israel Adesanya in September. Du Plessis moved to 7-0 inside the Octagon and has now won his last nine in a row.

Ex-UFC Standout Brendan Schaub Delivers Bizarre Reaction to Dricus Du Plessis’s Win Over Sean Strickland

Joe Rogan was stunned by Saturday night’s UFC 297 headliner that saw Dricus Du Plessis walk away with the…

Joe Rogan was stunned by Saturday night’s UFC 297 headliner that saw Dricus Du Plessis walk away with the middleweight world title.

Four months removed from his dominant performance against Israel Adesanya to claim the 185-pound crown, Sean Strickland returned to defend the title against the South African finisher inside Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. After five entertaining rounds of back-and-forth action, Du Plessis was announced as the winner via split decision. Fighters, fans, and media members were all split down the middle with many suggesting Strickland’s striking did enough to retain his title.

That includes Rogan who live-streamed his reaction alongside former heavyweight standout Brendan Schaub and others.

“Woooow! Interesting,” Rogan said, noticeably flabbergasted by the result. “Very interesting. I wonder how the people online feel about that. Cuz you know we aren’t scoring it while we’re watching it. We’re watching it and having fun. Were we wrong?…”

Brendan Schaubs Gives Joe Rogan His Head-Scratching Assessment of Du Plessis vs. Strickland

As Rogan continued to let the result weigh on his mind, Schaub chimed in and suggested that Israel Adesanya and divisional prospect Bo Nickal would walk through both Strickland and Du Plessis inside the Octagon.

I think Izzy or Bo Nickal eats these guy’s lunch,” Schaub added.

Clearly, Schaub completely forgot about the 25-minute ass-kicking that Sean Strickland put on ‘The Last Stylebender’ in September.

With Du Plessis now sitting atop the throne in the middleweight division, many suspect that the long-awaited clash between ‘Stillknocks’ and Adesanya will be booked for some time in 2024. Whether or not that happens at UFC 300 remains to be seen, but given the mangled appearance of Du Plessis’ face following his scrap with Strickland, we’re gonna go ahead and assume that the bout will be pushed to sometime this summer.

Sportsbooks have already released betting lines for the potential showdown with Adesanya being listed as a sizeable favorite. The oddsmakers at BetOnline.ag opened Adesanya as the -330 betting favorite against +270 for the underdog Du Plessis. Those numbers will undoubtedly fluctuate in both directions as we get closer to fight night.

Check out R3d Pill MMA‘s reaction to Brendan Schaub’s bizarre comment below:

Israel Adesanya opens as betting favorite to beat Dricus du Plessis in title grudge fight after UFC 297

Off the back of UFC 297 overnight, former two-time divisional champion, Israel Adesanya has opened as a betting favorite…

Off the back of UFC 297 overnight, former two-time divisional champion, Israel Adesanya has opened as a betting favorite to beat newly-minted gold holder, Dricus du Plessis in the pair’s expected title grudge match next – amid a failed pairing last year.

Headlining UFC 297 overnight in Toronto, du Plessis landed the undisputed middleweight crown with a close, split decision win over common-foe, Sean Strickland – ending the outspoken gold holder’s title reign in his first attempted title defense.

As for Adesanya, the City Kickboxing staple has yet to make his return to the Octagon since he dropped his middleweight title to Strickland back in September of last year at UFC 293, in one of the biggest title fight upsets in the history of the promotion.

And missing out on an Octagon-side viewing at UFC 297 last night, Israel Adesanya, who opened as a betting favorite to beat du Plessis in a title fight last year – remains a distinct favorite to beat the newly-crowned champion should they share the Octagon before the end of the year.

With odds on a title fight between Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya set for an imminent release – the duo have been linked with a quickfire turnaround in Las Vegas, Nevada at UFC 300 in April. And if fans are attending the monumental card in ‘Sin City’, some of the best slots and games can be found having been provided by Casino Analyzer – ahead of what promises to be a massive championship grudge match in 2024.

Becoming the first champion to lose his title twice in a calendar year with his decision loss to Strickland last September, Adesanya has remained entirely coy on his fighting future – in terms of a rematch with the former, or a title grudge match with du Plessis prior to UFC 297.

Israel Adesanya welcomes Dricus du Plessis battle after UFC 297

However, receiving a certain call out from the South African to rekindle their rivalry in a bid to settle it, Adesanya took to his official social media to address the prospect of a clash – appearing open to the possibility – having found himself continually linked with an impending return to combat sports competition, against a multitude of potential opponents.

“IS~RA~EL ADESANYA,” Israel Adesanya posted on his official X account. “This arc in my story was written long ago. Our paths are destined to cross again. Stay tuned for the next episode, thanks for watching. We Write History.”

Speaking on the possibility himself of sharing the Octagon with Israel Adesanya in his first attempted title defense of the middleweight crown, du Plessis claimed he would be open to the chances of fighting the Nigerian-Kiwi at UFC 300 in April – as part of another addition to the already-stacked flagship card for the organization.

Facing-off with du Plessis in the Octagon at UFC 290 last July, then-champion, Adesanya was gearing up for a title offing with the Pretoria native, however, a lingering injury suffered prior to his title-eliminator win over common-opposition, Robert Whittaker ultimately ruled him from a September turnaround, with Strickland taking his place against Adesanya.

Israel Adesanya accepts call out from Dricus du Plessis after UFC 297 title win: ‘Our paths are destined to cross again’

Former two-time middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya appears to be all ears toward last night’s call out from rival and…

Former two-time middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya appears to be all ears toward last night’s call out from rival and newly-crowned divisional champion, Dricus du Plessis following UFC 297 – claiming the duo’s paths are “destined” to cross once more.

Adesanya, a former two-time undisputed middleweight titleholder, has been sidelined since he took main event honors at UFC 293 back in September, suffering his second championship loss in the space of a year, in the form of an upset decision loss to Sean Strickland in Australia.

And failing to appear at UFC 297 last night in Toronto, Adesanya was initially expected to feature at Octagon-side ahead of the main event bout, between Strickland and South African force, du Plessis.

Turning in a close, split judging win over Strickland, Pretoria native, du Plessis landed his first title victory since his move to the Octagon four years prior, retaining his promotional-perfect run to boot in a hard-fought five round clash with the champion.

And immediately switching focus to his first title defense in the immediate aftermath of his UFC 297 win, du Plessis urged City Kickboxing staple, Adesanya to make a hasty return to the Octagon – amid links to a quickfire turnaround on a monumental UFC 300 card in April.

Israel Adesanya welcomes Dricus du Plessis fight

Welcoming the opportunity to settle the score with du Plessis in a bid to become a three-time middleweight gold holder, Nigerian-Kiwi striker, Adesanya responded on social media.

Sharing the Octagon in a tense face-off back in July of last year following UFC 290 during International Fight Week, Adesanya’s planned September fight with du Plessis was scuppered after the latter was unable to recover from a lingering injury suffered pre-fight.

Who wins in a future championship fight: Dricus du Plessis or Israel Adesanya?