Robert Whittaker vs. Dricus du Plessis Confirmed, Winner Faces Adesanya in Sydney
A Middleweight title eliminator bout between Robert Whittaker and Dricus du Plessis has just been announced for UFC 290 in Las Vegas, Nevada, inside the T-Mobile Arena, per Dana White.
This fight takes place in the Middleweight (185 lbs) division.
Robert "The Reaper" Whittaker is ranked #1 at Middleweight and holds a professional record of 24-6 (15-4 UFC). He holds notable wins over Marvin Vettori, Jared Cannonier, and Yoel Romero.
Dricus "Stillknocks" du Plessis is ranked #6 at Middleweight and holds a professional record of 19-2 (5-0 UFC), with credible wins over Derek Brunson, Darren Till, and Brad Tavares.
Official odds have yet to be released.
Robert Whittaker is one of the best PFP fighters in the UFC and will be looking to secure his second win since losing to Adesanya in February 2022. In his last bout, he faced Marvin Vettori and dominated him across all three rounds, eventually winning by a clear unanimous decision. Whittaker would show why people view him as one of the greatest in his division, showing his superior striking and improved wrestling against the durable Vettori. He'll be looking to replicate the same performance against du Plessis and earn his trilogy bout with Adesanya, targeted for Sydney, Australia, later this year.
Dricus du Plessis is currently on a tear through the Middleweight division. In November 2022, he was ranked #14, and in just eight months, he's claimed two high-ranked victories and climbed to the #6 spot. His first win was at UFC 282, where "Stillknocks" defeated Darren Till in a Fight of The Night contender with a third-round submission. Then in March, du Plessis fought Derek Brunson and won via a second-round TKO. Now, he sits just outside the top-5 and is one fight away from a Middleweight title shot. He'll be looking to use his wrestling and awkward striking style to skyrocket into the title picture and claim the victory over Whittaker.
This title eliminator bout is a terrific addition to the already stacked UFC 290 card. Who do you have winning this one? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know your prediction in the comments below.
