UFC Reportedly Pitched Dricus Du Plessis a Wild Four-Man Tournament for Light Heavyweight Title Shot
UFC fighter Dricus Du Plessis and his coach recently turned down an unusual proposal from the promotion for a one-night, four-man tournament to determine the next light heavyweight title challenger. Coach Morne Visser explained that they rejected the short-notice offer because Du Plessis needs more time to properly prepare his body to move up to 205 pounds.
Why it matters
The proposal represents a rare throwback to early MMA grand prix tournament formats, highlighting how modern UFC matchmaking occasionally explores unconventional structures for high-stakes title contention.
Dricus Du Plessis recently revealed his plans to move up to light heavyweight and chase a second UFC title. "Stillknocks" returned to action against Kamaru Usman at UFC Oklahoma , putting on a dominant performance to secure a unanimous decision victory. While reclaiming the middleweight title remains his priority, Du Plessis has not ruled out a move to 205 pounds when the time is right.
However, his coach recently revealed that the UFC had approached the team with an unusual offer that could have seen Du Plessis compete in a one-night tournament to determine the next challenger for light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg.
Du Plessis previously revealed that he cuts 45 pounds or more to make the middleweight limit, making a move up in weight an interesting possibility. However, when the UFC reportedly offered him a spot in the aforementioned tournament, his camp turned it down.
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