Dricus Du Plessis believes he could fight for the title next
UFC fighter Dricus Du Plessis is pushing for another title shot in the middleweight division following a recent victory. The division is currently in flux due to champion Sean Strickland's potential interest in transitioning to boxing.
Why it matters
The uncertainty at the top of the UFC middleweight division highlights the impact of individual fighter contract negotiations and career pivots on professional sports rankings.
Former middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis captured the 185-pound title at UFC 297 in January 2024 by defeating current titleholder Sean Strickland via spit decision. He dominated Strickland in their rematch at UFC 312 .
"Stillknocks" lost the belt to Khamzat Chimaev in one-sided fashion at UFC 319 but rebounded from the loss in his last outing by soundly defeating former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman . With the win, and considering the landscape in the weight class, Du Plessis believes he could fight for the title next.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in