Dricus Du Plessis shook the MMA world with a major upset when he defeated former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker via TKO at UFC 290. Du Plessis, who initially started the fight slow, managed to take control in the 2nd round and finish Whittaker. However, his journey took an unexpected turn when he had to pull out of a scheduled title fight against Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 due to injury. This opened the door for Sean Strickland, who secured an even more shocking upset by defeating Adesanya!

In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Du Plessis shared his thoughts on the fight and Adesanya’s performance. Du Plessis also discussed what he believed would have happened if he had faced the version of Adesanya that showed up that night.

Dricus Du Plessis had this to say about Adesanya’s performance

In the interview, Du Plessis shared his thoughts on the fight and Adesanya’s performance. He noticed that Adesanya wasn’t himself when the first round began, according to him. He also commented on what would have happened if he had fought the same version of Adesanya who appeared in the fight on Saturday.

Du Plessis said, “When the fight started not even a minute in and I said, Izzy looks off. I said he looks off, there’s some people saying it was just Sean Strickland shutting him down, that’s not the fact of the matter. Izzy didn’t fight the way he can fight, that was the worst Izzy we’ve ever seen in the cage.”

When asked what would have happened if that version of Adesanya had fought him, Du Plessis confidently stated, “He wouldn’t have gotten up after that flurry when Strickland dropped him.”

Read More: “Life Isn’t Fair, Right?” – Just Days After Israel Adesanya Lost His Title, Robert Whittaker Rubs Salt on Rival’s Wounds Over Sean Strickland Rematch Talks

Du Plessis emphasized that the fight would have ended in the first round if he had faced Adesanya. He pointed out that his bout with Whittaker lasted only a round and a half, suggesting that there was no way they would have seen a second round if he had fought the weakened Adesanya. Nevertheless, he claims he still hasn’t given up on his goal of becoming the middleweight champion. Even if he has to take the belt off of someone other than Adesanya!

What’s next for ‘Stillknocks’?

While Du Plessis acknowledged Strickland’s impressive performance, he made it clear that he believes he should be the one to challenge Strickland for the title. In his ideal scenario, Du Plessis envisions a showdown with Strickland in December, with the possibility of defending his title against Adesanya at UFC 300.

The middleweight division is currently in a state of uncertainty, with multiple contenders vying for a shot at the title. Dana White has hinted at the potential for an immediate rematch between Adesanya and Strickland. But other fighters, such as Paulo Costa and Khamzat Chimaev, are also waiting in the wings for their chance.

In conclusion, Dricus Du Plessis firmly believes that the version of Adesanya, who faced Strickland was far from his best. He is confident in his ability to dethrone Strickland and potentially defend his title against Adesanya. The future of the middleweight division remains uncertain, with fans eagerly awaiting the next chapter in this evolving saga.

Share your thoughts in the comments below! Do you think Dricus Du Plessis has what it takes to take the title from Sean Strickland? Or do you believe Adesanya deserves a rematch?

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