Dricus Du Plessis has silenced the doubters and proven that his unorthodox style—once dismissed as reckless—was anything but what people thought. The South African champion has come a long way from being mocked for his mythical ‘plot armor’ to standing tall as the undisputed king at 185 pounds. Fresh off a grueling victory over Sean Strickland at UFC 312, where he cemented his status as the best middleweight on the planet, Du Plessis is now setting his sights on even bigger challenges.

Not only has Du Plessis dominated former middleweight champions in four consecutive fights, but he’s also eyeing a showdown with Khamzat Chimaev. On top of that, he has expressed interest in moving up a weight class and taking on 205lbs god-king Alex Pereira. After his UFC 312 bout, the 185lbs kingpin challenged the light heavyweight champion in Strickland’s corner, quoting the film Troy and shouting “Is there no one else?”

He carried the same sentiment during the post-fight presser. “I have the world respect for Alex Pereira,” Du Plessis said. “I think he is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world and I have the most respect for him, what he’s done in a short period of time in the UFC, to come from another sport, what he’s done there, but yes, want to share the Octagon with that man. I want to beat a guy — I have beaten [Israel] Adesanya, who has beaten him. I know I can beat him and at 205 [pounds]. One hundred percent.”

However, the Brazilian had a blunt response to the idea. According to Daniel Cormier, ‘Poatan’ didn’t mince words when the topic came up. “I told Pereira after the fight, I go, ‘He wants you, Pereira.’ Pereira goes, ‘He’s just too small.” DC quipped. However, not everyone agrees with Pereira’s assessment. Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman weighed in on his Pound 4 Pound podcast with Henry Cejudo, arguing that size isn’t everything.

“I don’t think there is such a thing as ‘too small’ because technique can negate size and strength. I don’t believe there is such a thing, you’re right,” Usman said. However, he also suggested that Du Plessis might not be the man to dethrone Pereira. “But Henry, I don’t—I just… ship sailed on somebody that comes in that I think is beating Alex Pereira right now. Honestly, I don’t know! I do give this. I think DDP is more well-rounded for sure and he’s got some wrestling. He can choke you but that pin-point striking of Alex Pereira…I wouldn’t wanna see that for DDP just yet.”

Du Plessis has been calling out anyone and everyone following his standout performance in Australia. However, UFC CEO Dana White has hinted that Khamzat Chimaev could be next in line for the champ. While Du Plessis seems confident in his ability to handle ‘Borz’, not everyone shares his optimism. AKA head coach Javier Mendez believes the middleweight champ is making a serious mistake by underestimating Chimaev.

Team Khabib’s head coach gives Dricus Du Plessis a fair warning against Chimaev

There’s no denying that Dricus Du Plessis has been making waves with his relentless pace and unorthodox fighting style. However, stepping into the Octagon with Khamzat Chimaev is an entirely different challenge. While many believe the key to beating Alex Pereira lies in exploiting his ground game, ‘Borz’ presents a unique puzzle that Du Plessis must solve.

Coach Javier Mendez weighed in on the matchup, highlighting just how dangerous Chimaev is. “If Du Plessis is next in line, he better be ready for what Chimaev brings. If he thinks he can stop the fight from going to the ground, then fine—but that’s a huge if. Chimaev’s grappling is on another level, and anyone stepping in there with him needs to be prepared for that,” Mendez explained.

He continued, “In my opinion, taking on Chimaev is a tougher fight. Pereira is a killer on the feet, but Du Plessis has a better chance against him if the fight goes to the ground.” Chimaev’s ability to shoot for a takedown with lightning speed makes him one of the most dangerous wrestlers in the division.

He displayed that explosiveness against Robert Whittaker, and if he drags Du Plessis into deep waters, it could be a grueling test for the South African champion. Will ‘Stillknocks’ prove the doubters wrong, or will ‘Borz’ make a statement? Or will we get a super fight involving Alex Pereira? Share your predictions in the comments below!

The post “Technique Can Negate Size” – Alex Pereira Faces a Hard-Hitting Reminder on Calling Dricus Du Plessis ‘Too Small’ for a LHW Fight appeared first on EssentiallySports.



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