UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis is trying to separate himself from the group after UFC 305.
Du Plessis (21-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC) makes his first title defense against Israel Adesanya (24-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) in the headliner of UFC 305, August 17, at the RAC Arena in Perth (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+).
Du Plessis emerged as the No. 1 contender after a TKO over former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 290. He then overcame Sean Strickland to win the 185-pound title at UFC 297.
If he can beat Adesanya, Du Plessis thinks it elevates his name to one of the all-time best in the division.
“I have always considered Israel Adesanya as a reference,” said Du Plessis West Texas fox. “Now Izzy became champion a long time ago, and I looked at him and I always knew this is where I need to be if I want to be the best in the world. This is the reference.
“He’s one of the greatest to ever do it, and this fight for me is going to put me in that position. This is where I take over as one of the greatest to ever do it. This is where my years of building and climbing this ladder are going to come to a point where I’m now the guy who’s one of the greatest to ever do it.”
Du Plessis still feels undervalued, but he thinks defeating Adesanya is what will finally earn him the respect he seeks and silence all the doubters.
“He’s a very intelligent fighter,” Du Plessis said of Adesanya. “He discovers his opponents and sets many traps. He does this incredibly well. So, for me, this fight is exactly what it was like to beat Robert Whittaker. It’s a fight that people think you won’t win. It’s a difficult fight.
“I’m fighting one of the greatest middleweights of all time and I have to go out there and prove that I’m that guy. That’s what this fight will mean for me. That means I said my place is here. This fight will mean that Dricus Du Plessis is now in the conversation to be one of the greatest middleweights of all time.”
For more information on the card, visit the MMA Junkie events hub to UFC 305.
