Doricas du Plessis has yet to defend his UFC middleweight title, but the South African star knows exactly who he wants to fight next.
Doricus du Plessis began training extensively in judo and kickboxing at just five years old. His all-round skill set in mixed martial arts earned him a spot in the 2012 Amateur Kickboxing and Junior World Championships.
Du Plessis won the gold medal at the event and would begin his professional MMA career after turning 18 later that year. He accepted an offer from Extreme Fighting Championships, joined their roster, and quickly blossomed into a star.
Africa's promotion allowed du Plessis a seamless transition to the Octagon, with the rising star posting a 12-1 record with three short bouts at Konfrontakuja Stuk Varki.
And then Dana White came knocking.
Du Plessis has barely been tested since joining White's promotion. He has a perfect 7-0 record, and his recent split decision victory over Sean Strickland gave South Africa its first taste of UFC gold as a nation.
Now, the current UFC middleweight champion is determined for his next fight. There are many reasons why White should give du Plessis what he wants.
content
Who does Dorikas du Plessis want to fight next?
In April, Drikas du Plessis called out former UFC champion and fellow African-Israeli Adesanya to a main event match at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia.
During a recent podcast appearance, “Stillnox” challenged Adesanya to “be a man of his word” after the Nigerian star threatened to drag du Plessis' body across South Africa.
“I want that fight and people want that fight,” du Plessis said. “In an ideal world, we would want that on our home soil.”
Du Plessis had originally hoped to defend his UFC middleweight title in his native South Africa, but has now indicated his intention to pivot to Australia for the fight against Adesanya.
The two were originally scheduled to meet in the main event of UFC 293 in Sydney, but that never happened. But if du Plessis has his way, the Australian will see the fight promised a year ago.
Why does du Plessis want to fight Adesanya?
Du Plessis and Adesanya have a long history of trash-talking, including a direct confrontation in the post-fight interview at UFC 290.
At this event, “Stillnox” dispatched Robert Whittaker with a second round TKO victory, earning him the status of number one contender for Izzy's middleweight belt.
After the match, du Plessis promised all South Africans that he would bring the belt back to New Zealand, where Izzy currently resides, rather than fleeing to New Zealand with the belt.
Unfortunately, du Plessis suffered a leg injury ahead of his UFC 293 bout with Adesanya. After withdrawing from the title fight, the UFC replaced him with Sean Strickland.
In a shocking turn of events, “The Last Stylebender” suffered an upset loss to Strickland, delaying plans for a then-potential du Plessis vs. Adesanya superfight.
Du Plessis defeated Strickland at UFC 297 to win the middleweight strap he had been chasing for several years. The 30-year-old has yet to defend his belt since becoming the division's champion.
But with no opponent decided, du Plessis believes now is the best time to face Adesanya. He wants to end this long-standing feud.
Why UFC should do du Plessis vs. Adesanya
The UFC would be wise to pit Du Plessis against Adesanya in a main event title fight, whether in Australia or elsewhere.
There is clearly a rift between the two, as evidenced by the rude brawl that took place between UFC 290 and UFC 293. Although the scheduled match never materialized, the rivalry remains strong one year later.
Du Plessis believes he is the best version of himself, even though his championship victory over Strickland was controversial due to a split verdict on the judges' scorecards.
A victory over two-time UFC champion Adesanya would legitimize his title reign. A resounding victory over “The Last Stylebender” might be enough for du Plessis to convince even the staunchest skeptics.
Adesanya, on the other hand, hasn't appeared in the Octagon since his surprising loss to Strickland at UFC 293. A fight against du Plessis would allow Izzy to re-establish himself among the best fighters in the world.
Style-wise, it's hard to imagine a more exciting fight between du Plessis and Adesanya. Both men have endless unique combinations thanks to their long careers in kickboxing.
Du Plessis' UFC record remains unblemished through his seven fights since being promoted to the promotion, but Adesanya will be the biggest threat he has faced in the company.
MMA insider Ariel Helwani announced on X that Adesanya has not been offered the main event of UFC 305, but that if White schedules a fight, “he will be 100 percent in.”
The ball is now in White's court. Du Plessis declined the challenge, but Adesanya seems eager to jump at the chance to compete for UFC gold again.
Both fighters are looking to build on their accomplishments, and it seems like the right thing to do next.