Tag: dricus du plessis

Brendan Schaub Responds to Slam from Dricus Du Plessis

Brendan Schaub Responds to Slam from Dricus Du PlessisEx-UFC heavyweight fighter Brendan Schaub offered a response to Dricus Du Plessis. ‘Stillknocks’ was successful in his first defense…

Brendan Schaub Responds to Slam from Dricus Du Plessis

Ex-UFC heavyweight fighter Brendan Schaub offered a response to Dricus Du Plessis.

‘Stillknocks’ was successful in his first defense of the middleweight title at UFC 305, scoring a fourth-round submission victory over two-time titleholder Israel Adesanya. It was a rather shocking turn of events considering insiders far and wide heavily favored Adesanya to take back the middleweight strap and kickstart a historic third title reign.

Brendan Schaub responds to Dricus Du Plessis

That includes fighter-turned-comedian Brendan Schaub who boldly predicted that Adesanya was going to “beat the sh*t” out of Du Plessis.

Not long after the belt was wrapped around his waist, Du Plessis hopped on social media to throw some shade at Schaub’s prediction and take a dig at the former fighter’s legacy, or lack thereof.

“@BrendanSchaub great prediction.. You has been JK haha you’ve never been,” Du Plessis wrote.”

Not long after ‘DDP’ slammed him, Schaub delivered a much classier response compared to that of the South African sensation.

“Fair play,” Schaub replied. “I’d be mad too. DDP is a monster.”

The Contenders are already lining up for dricus du Plessis

With the win over Adesanya, Dricus Du Plessis remains undefeated inside the Octagon, going 8-0 with a 75% finish rate. Next, ‘DDP’ is expected to rematch the man he took the title from in January, Sean Strickland.

Strickland

Tarzan’ established himself as the next man in line with a decisive victory over Paulo Costa in June. Meanwhile, Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev will meet at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi to secure their own spot in line and ensure that ‘Stillknocks’ stays plenty busy at 185.

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Teddy Atlas Breaks Down UFC 305 Main Event: ‘What He Has Is The Same Thing That Usyk Has!”

Teddy Atlas recently offered his analysis of the UFC middleweight title showdown between reigning champion Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya, which headlined UFC 305. Du Plessis defended his title last weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia, securing a dramatic fourth-round victory over Adesanya with a rear-naked choke. The fight was a […]

Continue Reading Teddy Atlas Breaks Down UFC 305 Main Event: ‘What He Has Is The Same Thing That Usyk Has!” at MMA News.

Teddy Atlas recently offered his analysis of the UFC middleweight title showdown between reigning champion Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya, which headlined UFC 305.

Du Plessis defended his title last weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia, securing a dramatic fourth-round victory over Adesanya with a rear-naked choke.

The fight was a fiercely competitive affair, with both fighters pushing the pace from the moment the bell rang. The first round featured a measured exchange of strikes from both parties, but it was in the second round that ‘Stillknocks’ began to assert his dominance through grappling, securing multiple takedowns despite Adesanya’s stubborn defense.

As the third round began, the challenger seemed on the ropes, but he quickly found his groove, unleashing a barrage of powerful head and body shots that momentarily swung the momentum in his favor.

“The Last Stylebender” came out strong in the fourth, seemingly on the verge of securing a knockout, but the South African was quick to counter. With a sudden surge, he unleashed a relentless series of strikes that paved the way for a flawlessly timed takedown. In a flash, he secured Adesanya’s back, locking in the decisive submission.

Atlas Say Du Plessis Exemplifies ‘Never Judge A Book By Its Cover’

During a recent episode of THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas, the legendary boxing trainer broke down the Du Plessis vs. Adesanya clash. Atlas showered the middleweight champion with praise, noting how Du Plessis has perfected the art of executing the basics in his own unconventional way. He emphasized that Du Plessis consistently outperforms his opponents’ expectations, proving to be far more formidable than they anticipate.

“Even though Du Plessis had shown what looked like fatigue earlier, he always keeps going,” Atlas said. “It always seems like he’s out of gas, and then he’s not out of gas. He learned from the earlier attempts to get that choke hold, which Adesanya survived and escaped at least two times, I believe, earlier. But Du Plessis got the third shot at it, and this time, I think a combination of Adesanya being a little worn out and Du Plessis making sure to capitalize on the opportunity made the difference. But at the end of the day, the first thing I have to say about Du Plessis is that he’s one of those enigmas, one of those guys, one of those rarities where the simple and only accurate way to put it is that he’s better than he looks.”

Atlas further added that “Stillknocks” possesses a relentless drive to win that reminds him of the hunger seen in former undisputed heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk.

“There’s nothing dynamic-looking about what he does until he does it—until he gets the end result. Up until then, it’s very deceiving and misleading. He is the perfect example of that old saying, ‘Never judge a book by its cover,’ and he’s physically strong. He’s better in technical areas and subtle areas than meets the eye—he really is. And there’s one other quality that I think describes him: it’s a simple quality, but it’s not something you see every day. No matter how much talent someone has, what he has is the same thing that Usyk has in boxing—an ability to win, a drive, determination. A lot of people have that, but he’s got that plus an uncanny way to know how to win.”

Continue Reading Teddy Atlas Breaks Down UFC 305 Main Event: ‘What He Has Is The Same Thing That Usyk Has!” at MMA News.

Anthony Smith Shares Theory On Alex Pereira Pondering Middleweight Return To Fight Dricus Du Plessis: ‘You Beat My Friend!’

UFC light heavyweight contender Anthony Smith believes Alex Pereira’s middleweight tease could derive from a desire to “stick up” for Israel Adesanya. Adesanya recently returned to action in the main event of UFC 305, a pay-per-view event staged at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. The former two-time champ headlined alongside Dricus Du Plessis, competing […]

Continue Reading Anthony Smith Shares Theory On Alex Pereira Pondering Middleweight Return To Fight Dricus Du Plessis: ‘You Beat My Friend!’ at MMA News.

UFC light heavyweight contender Anthony Smith believes Alex Pereira’s middleweight tease could derive from a desire to “stick up” for Israel Adesanya.

Adesanya recently returned to action in the main event of UFC 305, a pay-per-view event staged at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. The former two-time champ headlined alongside Dricus Du Plessis, competing for the South African’s gold.

“The Last Stylebender” was unsuccessful in his bid for another reign, falling via rear-naked choke submission in the third round. By all accounts, a rematch with Sean Strickland looks the likeliest next task for the reigning titleholder.

But one man caused a stir with his Instagram post in the aftermath, as Pereira teased a possible return to the division he once ruled over to do battle with “Stillknocks.”

Given that “Poatan” has previously dismissed talk of another drop to that weight and instead pondered a heavyweight venture, many were surprised by the post. One man who has long gone back and forth with the Brazilian, however, thinks he might know the reason behind it…

Smith: Pereira’s ‘Brotherhood’ With Adesanya Motivating Possible Pursuit Of Du Plessis

During ESPN’s UFC 305 Post Show this past weekend, the panel of Smith, Din Thomas, and Brett Okamoto reflected on the main event in Perth and looked ahead to what could be next for the champ and unsuccessful challenger.

In terms of the victorious South African, they made note of Pereira’s social media tease. And although plenty have dismissed it as a playful post, “Lionheart” believes the reigning light heavyweight king could be serious.

In terms of the reasons why Pereira could go back on his word not to return to 185 pounds, Smith thinks the Brazilian could want to make Du Plessis pay for beating his longtime rival.

“Part of me kind of believes he’s a little bit serious. I don’t think he’s any bigger now than when he was at light heavyweight last time,” Smith said. “I feel like there’s a sense of Alex wanting to kind of stick up for Israel. They have this weird connection, this weird brotherhood, this unusual friendship. They’re moulded together for the rest of their careers.

“I feel like that’s him (Pereira), ‘Alright, you beat my friend, or someone that I have history with. So now I’m coming down and I’ll take care of it.’ That’s kind of how it felt,” Smith continued. “Almost like, ‘We have this thing going on, but none of you can mess with us.’ That’s kind of how it was.”

It remains to be seen whether the matchup will enter the realm of possibility anytime soon. Both Du Plessis and his coach have green lit a showdown with Pereira, but only if it provides the South African with the opportunity to achieve two-division glory himself.

Continue Reading Anthony Smith Shares Theory On Alex Pereira Pondering Middleweight Return To Fight Dricus Du Plessis: ‘You Beat My Friend!’ at MMA News.

Dricus du Plessis responds to insult from Steve Erceg 

Dricus Du Plessis responds to insult from Steve Erceg Off the back of his spectacular victory at UFC 305 over the course of last weekend, incumbent undisputed middleweight…

Dricus Du Plessis responds to insult from Steve Erceg 

Off the back of his spectacular victory at UFC 305 over the course of last weekend, incumbent undisputed middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis has hit out at fellow main card feature, Steve Erceg – who dropped his own knockout loss to Kai Kara-France in Perth.

du Plessis, the current undisputed middleweight champion, headlined the promotion’s return ‘Downunder’ at UFC 305 over the course of last weekend, turning in a stunning fourth round win over the returning former two-time champion, Israel Adesanya.

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Latching onto a fourth round rear-naked choke submission, Dricus du Plessis forced a tap from City Kickboxing star, bringing an end to their high-profile rivalry with a spectacular, definitive stoppage triumph. 

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And hitting out at a host of fighters in the aftermath of his win against Adesanya, Dricus du Plessis mocked former welterweight title challenger, Darren Till – who claimed he would actually make a return to the Octagon in a bid to dispatch the South African as middleweght champion.

Dricus du Plessis mocks Steve Erceg’s loss at UFC 305

However, on the same card, former flyweight title chaser, Erceg dropped his second consecutive defeat in a blistering opening round knockout loss against the previously mentioned, Kara-France, having pushed champion, Alexandre Pantoja the distance over the course of five rounds at UFC 301 in May in a trip to Brazil. 

Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya UFC 305 KISS

And mocking Perth favorite, Erceg for his claims that du Plessis was just a “6 out of 10” fighter ahead of UFC 305, the Pretoria native hit out at the flyweight in a his own mocking response on Instagram. 

Linked with a slew of fights in his third outing as undisputed middleweight champion, du Plessis has received call outs from light heavyweight gold holder, Alex Pereira – as well as former-foe, Sean Strickland, who has already been pegged as the next challenger to the throne by UFC boss, Dana White. 

Israel Adesanya was aiming to finish Dricus Du Plessis in round 4: ‘I was like he is done’

Former two-time middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya claims Dricus du Plessis was there for the taking in the penultimate round…

Former two-time middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya claims Dricus du Plessis was there for the taking in the penultimate round of their UFC 305 title fight – before succumbing to his own submission loss against the South African star.

Adesanya, a former two-time undisputed middleweight champion, suffered a second consecutive defeat for the first time in his storied mixed martial arts career over the course of last weekend at UFC 305 in a return ‘Downunder’.

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Dropping a fourth round submission loss to Pretoria native, du Plessis in his bid to become a three-time middleweight titleholder, Adesanya saw his back taken in the first of two championship rounds against the fence after finding himself on the receiving end of a lengthy barrage – before he was forced to tap after being wrapped in a rear-naked choke.

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Israel Adesanya claims Dricus du Plessis was “done” at UFC 305

However, despite finding himself down on the judge’s scorecards even midway through the fourth frame, City Kickboxing staple, Adesanya has now claimed du Plessis was “done” in the round – and ready for the taking.

Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya UFC 305 KISS

“He’s (Dricus du Plessis) tough, he’s stubborn that is what it is,” Israel Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “Even if he’s tired – which one was it – I sprawled on him, was it round four? Beginning of round four, I hit him with one of the meanest sprawls because he just shot and I just put his face into the mat, and boom.”

“I tried to kick his body and then told him to get up,” Israel Adesanya continued. “Marc (Goddard) was like ‘Get up’, and he laid there on the ground and took a breath, and I was like, ‘He is done.’ So I try to go for him.”

Alex Pereira Told Dricus Du Plessis Is The ‘Wrong Guy To Mess With’ After Post-UFC 305 Call-Out

It has taken a long time for Dricus Du Plessis to get the respect that he believes he has always deserved, but his winning streak is becoming undeniable. With eight consecutive wins inside the Octagon, he has now beaten three former middleweight champions in his most recent outings. Finishing both Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya, […]

Continue Reading Alex Pereira Told Dricus Du Plessis Is The ‘Wrong Guy To Mess With’ After Post-UFC 305 Call-Out at MMA News.

It has taken a long time for Dricus Du Plessis to get the respect that he believes he has always deserved, but his winning streak is becoming undeniable.

With eight consecutive wins inside the Octagon, he has now beaten three former middleweight champions in his most recent outings.

Finishing both Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya, along with going the distance against Sean Strickland, has shown how “Stillknocks” is very effective despite his style not being the most technically sound.

A rematch with Strickland makes a lot of sense for his next title defense given how close their first encounter was but there is also the potential for a huge fight against the champion at the weight class above, in the near future.

Daniel Cormier & Chael Sonnen Agree That Dricus Du Plessis Poses A Threat To Alex Pereira

In order for Du Plessis to add yet another former middleweight champion to his record, he would need to face the current light heavyweight titleholder, Alex Pereira.

At least on paper, many will point to how Du Plessis does tend to fight recklessly at points, which makes a clash with “Poatan” so dangerous for him.

However, after watching what he was able to do against another elite striker in Adesanya this past weekend at UFC 305, Daniel Cormier spoke on the Good Guy / Bad Guy show on ESPN MMA about his intrigue around that potential match-up:

“DDP already said Chael, ‘It doesn’t have to be at ’85, I’m not giving you no excuse. I’ll come to 205 and fight you.’ After watching him, I don’t know that he don’t do well against Alex because of his wrestling and his ability to strike.”

Cormier’s co-host Chael Sonnen agreed with him on this point, stating that we’re still learning what Du Plessis is capable of at this stage.

“Wrong guy to mess with, I mean in all fairness, whatever Alex is seeing in DDP, Alex should know that’s what we all saw in Alex two years ago. We did not understand how great he is.”

Read also: Sean Strickland’s Coach Expands On Strategy For Dricus Du Plessis Rematch: ‘It’s Gonna Be To The Death!’

Continue Reading Alex Pereira Told Dricus Du Plessis Is The ‘Wrong Guy To Mess With’ After Post-UFC 305 Call-Out at MMA News.