At UFC 305, Dricus du Plessis defeated Israel Adesanya to cement his dominance at middleweight. The victory was not just another victory; It ended a tight match that had been surprising UFC fans. Tensions between du Plessis and Adesanya reached a boiling point before the fight, with the South African fighter’s “African champion” comments adding fuel to the fire.
A Huge Jump in the Pound-for-Pound Rankings
Following his winning performance at UFC 305, Dricus Du Plessis improved dramatically in the UFC’s pound-for-pound (P4P) rankings. As John Morgan shared at X, du Plessis jumped up five places, landing at No. 6 in the P4P list. Meanwhile, Israel’s Redemption has plummeted, dropping to 15 points.
P4P rankings are a measure of a fighter’s overall skill and success in all weight classes. With this latest update, du Plessis has beaten several notable champions, including bantamweight title holder Sean O’Malley, flyweight champion Alexander Pantoja, interim heavyweight champion Tom Espinal and BMF title holder Max Holloway.
Alex Pereira Returning to 185?
Adding to the drama, former middleweight champion Alex Pereira, who currently reigns supreme at middleweight, hinted that he might return to middleweight and in a post-UFC 305 social media post, Pereira caused excitement by announcing that “he got down to 185 once was too much”. du Plessis was on the rise and Pereira could be heading for another middleweight showdown, a future in which the division looks more interesting than ever.
But while du Plessis celebrates his success and ascension in the ranks, Israel Adesanya faces a different reality. The former middleweight kingpin now finds himself near the bottom of the P4P rankings, and sheds doubt on his future in the sport.
Dana White Keeps South Africa on the Lookout for Plessis’ Next Fight
Ahead of the UFC 305 event, UFC CEO Dana White discussed the possibility of a fight in South Africa if du Plessis successfully defends his title. Now, with the champion riding high on the back of the win, the idea of bringing the UFC to South Africa seems more plausible. But du Plessis may have other plans for his next opponent.
Sean Strickland Calls du Plessis and Wants them to return to America
Sean Strickland, who was vocal about his controversial loss to du Plessis at UFC 297, is looking forward to another shot at the champion. During an appearance on ‘The Jim Rome Show’, Dana White confirmed that Strickland was next in line for the title shot. “He’s number one in the world. If that happens, he deserves a fight,” White said.
Coming off a victory over Paulo Costa at UFC 302, Strickland wasted no time in announcing his challenge. When he took it to X, Strickland demanded a repeat, but with a twist—he wanted to fight on American soil. “We’ll fight in a free man’s country… you don’t duck me Dutchman… I know you’ll try… it’s not happening,” Strickland declared.
In his usual unrestrained style, Strickland added, “Vegas man.. I travel all the time. I will fight in my country.. unless you want me to go and fix South Africa.” His stirring words rekindled their hope of a reunion. Whether in South Africa or the United States, the stage is set for an explosive rivalry between two of the best middleweight fighters in the UFCComing off a victory over Paulo Costa at UFC 302, Strickland wasted no time in announcing his challenge.
