[ad_1]
If it weren't for the fact that he keeps winning every time, you could probably convince yourself that UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis isn't a great fighter.
If you only looked at his appearance, maybe. If you only watched the early parts of his fights, like when he was attacking Israel Adesanya in the main event of UFC 305. Or even later, when he was getting pummeled with punches and kicks while looking like a guy who wished he could call a timeout and sit down for a while. Then you’d be forgiven for thinking this guy is far from the best middleweight in the world.
But keep watching, and sooner or later he will surely find a way to win. Against Adesanya, the champion needed only a small opening, provided by a momentary defensive error. Even if he had looked tired and exhausted just moments earlier, struggling reluctantly to stand and fight, when his moment came, Du Plessis jumped on Adesanya’s back and pressed him hard to force a submission late in the fourth round.
With that, Du Plessis has beaten every UFC middleweight titleholder in the past seven years. The only exception is Alex Pereira, who held the title for less than six months before moving up to light heavyweight.
Now, after just eight fights and four full years in the UFC, Du Plessis has climbed to the top of the mountain and has been there at least long enough to get a good look around. At no point has he looked dominant or invincible. At times his success doesn’t make sense. And yet it’s there, as puzzlingly inevitable as any other paradox in the known universe.
Regardless of our opinion of his success or how long he might last, we ultimately have to acknowledge that Du Plessis deserves this title. If he didn’t, someone else would have beaten him by now. And at least during his time in the UFC, that simply hasn’t happened. We may not be able to understand how he keeps winning these fights, but maybe we don’t have to. The facts speak for themselves, and they are undeniable.
As for what should come next, that’s a little trickier. Sean Strickland, who had a cup of coffee with the middleweight belt before losing it to Du Plessis earlier this year, believes he should be next in line. Pereira, who seems to think he can still cut down to 185lbs if he gets the right motivation, It also raised the idea of returning.Then there's Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev, who are scheduled to fight (or so we're told) in October, and the winner there could have a strong claim to the next title shot.
One thing that makes a champion who is keen to avoid defeat before he sets out for victory is that there is no shortage of people who believe they could be the ones to beat him in the end. Du Plessis certainly has plenty of eager challengers. But after successfully defending his title against the toughest middleweight boxer in the past five years, he deserves at least a few less doubters.
Some other notes about UFC 305 from Perth, Australia…
Adesanya says he's not done yet, and he shouldn't be done. Yes, he lost. But he looked great at several points in this fight, and it’s clear he’s still competitive. The question is whether he wants to continue that at middleweight, where it may be harder to get more title chances, or whether it’s worth considering moving up in weight to follow in Pereira’s footsteps.
Kai Kara France is once again that rarest of rewards: a flyweight fighter. He desperately needed a win after two straight losses, and it didn’t take long to get it. Kara-France dropped Steve Erceg late in the opening round, then beat him seconds later and was talking about a title shot before the sweat had dried. He may need something resembling a winning streak first, but he can’t be too far out of the picture.
Who would have thought Dan Hooker still had so much fight left in him? Stylistically, Mateusz Gamrot looked like a poor opponent for “The Executioner.” But even with a cut on his face at the end of the first period, Hooker didn’t lose his enthusiasm for this fight. There may still be time for Hooker to build a memorable run to the top of the division.
It doesn't look great for Tai Tuivasa. His loss to Jairzinho Rozenstruik makes it five straight losses. I know the UFC rulebook says you can never beat a tough, well-liked heavyweight, but at some point, this guy has to win a fight… right?
Carlos Prates is a scary guy. His opening bout against Li Jingliang was an exhibition match from the start, and Prates showed a lot in less than 10 minutes of action. Beware, fellow middleweights, this is a left hand you don't want to see come to a decisive end.
[ad_2]
Source