Dricus du Plessis cannot rest on his laurels as he successfully defended the title against Israel Adesanya. Fresh from his win, du Plessis has already begun planning his next phase, his eyes can be on matches that can further cement his legacy in the UFC. His targets include Sean Strickland and Alex Pereira, for whom he wants to change weight, making it clear he has no intention of slowing down
Du Plessis calls out Pereira: No Excuses
In a post-fight interview du Plessis clarified his thoughts. While Strickland is likely next in line, du Plessis didn’t shy away from addressing Alex Pereira’s recent comments. When he hinted that he would return to middleweight, Pereira caught the attention of du Plessis, and the South African champion responded with a challenge of his own
“They said Strickland? Great, it’s perfect. I am 100% sure that is next,” du Plessis said. “I heard Poatan say some things… He’s back to 185lbs. I felt Izzy’s nausea. The guy is fast and has good combinations, but if he knocked you out cold, you don’t want to knock him down again.”
Du Plessis continued with a fiery ultimatum to Pereira: “You want to meet my jab. You don’t want to feel the jab because that ultimately won my fight tonight. So don’t get down to 185 pounds. I’m dealing with Sean Strickland, or after your fight I’ll come back to 205 lbs and deal with it. So you have no excuse to lose excess weight when I kick you out.”
Pereira’s Move to Heavyweight in January
The rivalry between du Plessis and Adesanya has subsided for now, but it looks like a new rivalry is brewing. Pereira, who previously lost to middleweight Adesanya, is now considering a return to the division after seeing the UFC 305 finale. “I’m back down to 84 kilos… I will land again at 185 kilos,” Pereira declared. His comments have raised expectations that the battle between the two powers may have escalated.
However, Pereira’s future in the heavyweight division remains a strong possibility. After impressive victories over Jiri Prochazka and Jamahl Hill, the idea of a big fight with Jon Jones is off the table. Du Plessis’ coach Morne Visser also suggested that a move to 205lbs could suit the South African champion better, opening the door to a top-weight clash with Pereira.
Sean Strickland, never one to back down from a challenge, also took aim at du Plessis. Following his win, Strickland wasted no time calling out du Plessis, expressing his desire to fight on home soil. “Time to fight, Dutchman… [They’re expecting a fight in Vegas, man. I travel all the time. I fight in my country.” Strickland posted on social media and made it clear he wanted the rematch to take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Strickland’s outspoken nature did not go unnoticed by du Plessis, who spoke of potentially conflicting cultures. “I saw something like this. But, I mean, oh, my man, you can see Sean Strickland. South Africa, it’s different. It’s unique. We saw this tonight. I remember it being a forest outside. Sean Strickland, the way he does things, yeah, I hope he goes to war,” du Plessis joked.
The Way Forward: Strickland or Pereira?
As du Plessis looks ahead, the question is will he defend his title against Strickland, or will he accept Pereira’s challenge at 205 pounds? Both are tantalizing, with each fighter bringing unique challenges to the table. What’s clear is that du Plessis is ready for whatever lies ahead, with no shortage of confidence as he continues to make his mark in the UFC.
