Dricus Du
Plessis is well aware of Alex
Pereira’s callout, but he isn’t so certain it’s the best idea
for the Brazilian to challenge him at 185 pounds.
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After Du Plessis defended his middleweight title with a
fourth-round submission of Israel
Adesanya in the UFC 305
headliner on Saturday night, “Poatan” hinted at a return to the
middleweight division. Pereira initially claimed 185-pound gold
with a stoppage of Adesanya in his fourth Octagon appearance at UFC
281. He moved to light heavyweight after falling to “The Last
Stylebender” in their rematch, and the Brazilian has since become
the promotion’s champion in his new weight class, authoring two
successful title defenses thus far in 2024.
“I honestly don’t think Alex
Pereira should drop down to 185. If he wants to, great,
perfect. But then we’re going to hear the excuses,” Du Plessis said
at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “I saw Izzy stiff that
man in the first round. I felt Izzy’s punching power tonight. Izzy
has great timing, he’s fast, he’s long and he has great
combinations, but I felt the power.
“If Izzy stiffens you like that, you do not want to be in there
with me, especially not when you’ve got to come in there with the
excuses, ‘Oh, I cut too much weight.’ That’s going to happen.
Everybody’s going to say it.”
Pereira is currently scheduled for his next light heavyweight title
defense against Khalil
Rountree in the UFC 307
main event on Oct. 5. Du Plessis, meanwhile, could be looking at a
rematch against Sean
Strickland after UFC CEO Dana White stated that the former
champion was the No. 1 contender in waiting. However, Du Plessis
does have an alternative proposal for Pereira.
“Stay at 205, fight your fight against the No. 8 ranked guy. Fight
your fight there and enjoy it,” Du Plessis said. “If Strickland is
the next fight, the people want to see that fight — if that’s the
fight that people want to see and that’s the fight right now people
think is the next best guy, then it’s the fight that I want. So let
me handle my business, you handle your business.
“You don’t have to cut the weight so you have some sort of excuse.
I’ll come up after the Strickland fight. I’ll come up to 205 and
we’ll sort it out there.”
While many title holders in recent times have expressed interested
in becoming a two-division champion, that isn’t necessarily Du
Plessis’ intent. He’d rather focus on further establishing himself
as the top middleweight in the world.
“If that’s (the Pereira fight) what the UFC wants, I’ll be ready
for it. I’ll be ready for it right now, but I’m not chasing that,”
Du Plessis said. “I believe to be considered as the greatest to
ever do this sport, I need to be considered as the greatest
middleweight, first. I’m the first guy to beat Israel
Adesanya and Robert
Whittaker. I’ve beat three of the Top 20 pound-for-pound
fighters, so can I please get back in the Top 10? I beat
Strickland, I beat Whittaker and I beat Adesanya. I haven’t been on
social media, but I can’t wait to see what the critics say now.”