ESPN’s UFC schedule for 2024 details that the authorities have plans for a Perth event in August this year. A large chunk of the UFC world speculates that the event might feature the return of popular fighter Israel Adesanya. A look at the current scenario also suggests that the current UFC middleweight champ, Dricus Du Plessis, will probably be ‘Izzy’s’ rival for the event. Likewise, the former UFC middleweight champ, Robert Whittaker recently appeared on an episode of the ‘MMArcade Podcast’ where he opined that ‘Stillknocks’ can ask several questions of ‘The Last Stylebender’ during the fight.
There aren’t many UFC middleweights in the current roster who can accurately describe Du Plessis’s fighting style. However, ‘Bobby Knuckles’ is a part of the minority in this regard. Fans may remember how Whittaker got finished by the South African in the second round of their UFC 290 fight. The Australian labeled Du Plessis’s fighting style as ‘awkward’. But he also opined that he could make things uncomfortable for Adesanya as well.
Whittaker did count Adesanya as the stronger one and said he could “piece” Du Plessis up for five rounds. Yet, he also suggested that the 30-year-old can turn things around by combining his style and following what the former UFC middleweight champ, Sean Strickland did against ‘Izzy’. Whittaker said,
“I can see Adesanya just piecing him [Du Plessis] up for five rounds. But Dricus is tough as nails and he’s awkward. Strickland pushing that pace and moving into his [Adesanya’s] space changed the rhythm of the fight. Adesanya didn’t adapt to that very well. If Dricus does the same, he might have the same sort of success.”
Whittaker’s words might create a lot of hype about the Adesanya vs. Du Plessis fight in the community. However, a few weeks back several fans opined that they wanted to witness a different fight for the UFC middleweight gold.
A large chunk of fans wanted Dricus Du Plessis to go for a rematch against Sean Strickland
The UFC 297 main event bifurcated the UFC fanbase with the judge’s decision going in Du Plessis’ favor. On one side were Dana White and Sean Strickland’s fans, who called him the winner. However, the UFC play-by-play commentator, Jon Anik, and the remaining fans viewed Du Plessis as the rightful victor of the scrap.
This confusion had ‘Stillknocks’ putting up a poll on his Twitter account about who he should fight next out of ‘Izzy’ and ‘Tarzan’. Despite it going down to the wire, the ones desiring a Du Plessis vs. Strickland rematch won the poll.
Hence, it’s quite apparent that the fans may be desiring something else for ‘Du Plessis’s’ next fight. Yet, pitting Adesanya against ‘Stillknocks’ is probably the most convenient option for the UFC at this moment. Nevertheless, the caliber of the fighters indicates that the encounter can become an absolute barnburner.
