HomeUFCDricus Du Plessis Believes Robert Whittaker's Confidence Could Be His Downfall

Dricus Du Plessis Believes Robert Whittaker’s Confidence Could Be His Downfall

Dricus Du Plessis believes Robert Whittaker’s confidence in his ability to defeat all contenders, except for the champion, might hinder his performance in their upcoming UFC 290 matchup. Find out more about this highly anticipated fight and the other exciting bouts on the card.

| Dricus Du Plessis believes Robert Whittaker’s confidence in his ability to defeat all contenders, except for the champion, might hinder his performance in their upcoming UFC 290 matchup. | Du Plessis acknowledges Whittaker’s dominance in the middleweight division, having only lost to the champion in almost ten years. | Du Plessis hopes to earn his first shot at UFC gold by defeating Whittaker. |

 

Dricus Du Plessis is set to face Robert Whittaker on the main card of UFC 290, with the winner potentially becoming the next challenger for Israel Adesanya’s middleweight title. Despite Whittaker’s impressive record and being favored in the matchup, Du Plessis believes that the former champion’s confidence in his ability to defeat all contenders might give him a false sense of security.

Du Plessis acknowledges Whittaker’s dominance in the middleweight division, having only lost to the champion in almost ten years. He respects Whittaker’s position as a favorite and crowd favorite due to his consistent success. Du Plessis, who has always been a fan of Whittaker, recognizes his skills both as a fighter and a person.

However, Du Plessis points out that Whittaker’s mindset of being unbeatable by any contender other than the champion could lead to complacency. He believes that Whittaker might view this fight as just another step towards a title shot, underestimating the challenge Du Plessis poses. The South African fighter is determined to give Whittaker the toughest fight of his career.

Since joining the UFC in 2020, Du Plessis has shown great promise, passing every test he has faced. Only Brad Tavares managed to go the distance with him before losing by unanimous decision. This matchup between top middleweights is one of the highlights of UFC 290.

In addition to the Du Plessis vs. Whittaker bout, fans can also look forward to the featherweight title unification fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Yair Rodríguez in the main event, as well as Brandon Moreno defending his flyweight belt against Alexandre Pantoja in the co-main event.

 


Conclusion

Dricus Du Plessis recognizes Robert Whittaker’s impressive record and the respect he deserves as a favored fighter. However, Du Plessis believes that Whittaker’s confidence in his ability to defeat all contenders, except for the champion, might hinder his performance. Du Plessis is determined to give Whittaker the hardest fight of his career and hopes to earn his first shot at UFC gold.

In the highly anticipated matchup between Du Plessis and Whittaker, fans can expect an intense battle between two skilled middleweights. UFC 290 promises to deliver an exciting night of fights, with the featherweight title unification bout and the flyweight belt defense adding to the anticipation.


Fight Card

Matchup Result Method Round Time
Dricus Du Plessis vs. Robert Whittaker
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Yair Rodríguez
Brandon Moreno vs. Alexandre Pantoja