Dricus du Plessis is firmly in place as the UFC middleweight champion. The South African fighter, who lost the title to Sean Strickland at UFC 297, made it clear that he would not give Strickland special consideration for an immediate return. Despite Strickland’s voice calling for a second fight, du Plessis isn’t fazed.
He insisted that his mind remains on a high-profile fight that keeps the fans excited. Currently, du Plessis is gearing up for a big bout against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305. The champion’s commitment to defend his title against Adesanya confirms his belief in prioritizing the most important and anticipated matchups, rather than his involvement will respond to rematch requests from former opponents.
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The UFC middleweight title has seen drastic changes in recent years. After Alex Pereira claimed the belt in November 2022, he lost it to Israel Adesanya, who dropped the belt to Strickland. Du Plessis’ split decision victory over Strickland in January 2024 added another twist to this chaotic title picture.
Du Plessis Dismisses Strickland’s Rematch Call
Strickland, who recently earned a split decision victory over Paulo Costa at UFC 302, has been very vocal about his desire to return immediately. But Strickland’s demands don’t reach Plessis. “I don’t owe Sean anything,” du Plessis said in an interview with Kevin Iole. He stressed that the rules of the game are clear: battles are played in a round. According to du Plessis, his victory was indisputable. “The fact that it was a split decision is the thing that shocks me the most,” he added.
It is for du Plessis to pick the more vital ones that appeal to the fans. He is scheduled to fight Adesanya in a UFC 305 fight that the MMA fighter has labeled as one of the many big fights of the year. “In essence, it boils down to the fight the fans want,” he said. While du Plessis has said that if the UFC chooses to go down that route he will be ready for Strickland now he wants to fight Adesanya only.
Strickland’s Uncertain Future
One interesting fight was Strickland against Costa, but their match did not appear to catapult Strickland as the next contender. He did not hide his feelings about du Plessis and that anticipation of an emerging Adesanya. Speaking of this particular fighter, Strickland will have to wait his turn while other potential future super-fights like a bout between Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev could indeed have an effect on him.
Wildcards and Dream Matches
But in an unusual speculation, there has been information on whether Islam Makhachev, the lightweight champion, could begin fighting for the middleweight division. Yester- day, Makhachev’s trainer Javier Mendez propose to change the weight yesterday, but du Plessis appears to like the idea. “Everyone can dream, right?” du Plessis said with a laugh to journalists after being asked by South African men’s rights activist, Steven Moore about his views on the new ruling on gay marriage, Source: South Africa’s Weekend Argus. He opines that competitors are keen on protecting their belts before thinking of a change in weight division.
Looking Ahead
It is for this reason that du Plessis will not relent in an endeavor to achieve the recognition of being the world’s most dominant middleweight. Thus, his primary target is to be prepared for the next bout with Adesanya and then to think about possible next steps, including promotion to the heavier category “The first aim is to do the strongest mid-icked,” concluded du Plessis.
