Daniel Cormier recently weighed in on reigning UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis’ ambitions to become a two-division titleholder in the future.
“Stillknocks” is set to make his first title defense against former longtime champion Israel Adesanya in the main event of UFC 305, which will take place this weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.
Du Plessis was targeted to challenge “The Last Stylebender” at UFC 293, but an injury forced him to withdraw. During his absence, Adesanya suffered an upset, losing the middleweight title to Sean Strickland in a short-notice bout last September.
The South African staged an impressive comeback, narrowly defeating Strickland in a grueling split decision at UFC 297 to claim the middleweight title. Now, heading into UFC 305, he has boldly declared his intent to conquer Adesanya and has already mapped out his future plans.
During an appearance on The Sias Du Plessis Show in May, “Stillknocks” laid out his ambitious plans. He stated that after defeating Adesanya, his next move would likely be to defend his middleweight title against either Khamzat Chimaev or Robert Whittaker, who are set to face off at UFC 308 in October. Following that, he plans to move up to the light heavyweight division, aiming to achieve his dream of becoming a champ-champ.
Cormier, one of the select few to have held UFC titles in two divisions, endorsed Du Plessis’ goals, expressing confidence that they are well within reach…
Cormier States He’s ‘Done Doubting’ Du Plessis’ Capabilities
During a recent interview with Submission Radio, “DC” shared his insights on Du Plessis’ upcoming title defense against Adesanya. The UFC Hall of Famer praised “Stillknocks” for mastering a highly unorthodox fighting style that leaves his opponents struggling to decipher his moves. Cormier believes this unique approach will be a key factor in Du Plessis’ success at UFC 305.
“The problem with Dricus is that the things he does don’t look like everybody else’s. His feet may cross at an odd time, he may throw a punch from a weird angle, or he might do a takedown in a weird way, but it’s working. So you have to accept that just because it looks different, it’s not wrong—it’s his way, right? It’s his style, and he’s mastered it. He’s mastered it to the point that he’s the world champion. So I think that awkwardness will play to his benefit on Saturday night.”
Cormier expressed confidence in Du Plessis’ ability to successfully make the leap to the light heavyweight division, saying he’s seen enough from the South African to believe in his potential. However, he noted that success will also hinge on securing favorable matchups.
“I’m not doubting him no more. I’m just done doubting Dricus Du Plessis, man. I think he can do whatever he wants, you know? He’s shown time and time again that he can do anything, and Alex Pereira showed that it’s possible, right? Going from middleweight to light heavyweight and winning, and winning a lot. So yeah, I think he could, under the right circumstances. A lot of times it’s about matchups, right? The right person holding the belt is what makes you make that decision, and I think with the right matchup, Dricus can be a double champ.”
Du Plessis is riding a seven-fight undefeated streak in the Octagon. Before joining the UFC, he made his mark as a double champion in the South African MMA promotion EFC, where he claimed both the welterweight and middleweight titles.
