Another day, another Dana White fight announcement
On Saturday, July 8, at UFC 290, Robert Whittaker will face Dricus du Plessis in a title eliminator. The victor will gain a shot at the middleweight crown currently held by Israel Adesanya.
Robert Whittaker is widely considered the second-best middleweight in the middleweight division and by some distance. ‘The Reaper’ will get his wish to run it back once more with Adesanya if he can get through this fight, but it will be no easy task as du Plessis will undoubtedly present a challenge.
The second-degree kickboxing black belt (du Plessis) is coming off a seven-fight win streak, with six coming by way of stoppage. As a result, he has shot up the middleweight rankings, occupying the #6 slot.
The two most recent victories were stoppage victories over Derek Brunson (TKO) and Darren Till (submission via face crank), making Du Plessis a legitimate contender in the division.
The winner of the fight should get their title shot in Sydney, Australia, later this year, as per Dana White’s announcement. The event would be the first held in Sydney since 2017, and there’s yet to be a word on a date or a venue. Fans will be hoping for a stadium show, with the Allianz Arena being a potential option. With a capacity of approximately 42,500, the venue would likely sell out and would be close to the attendance at Adesanya Vs. Whittaker 1 at UFC 243 in Melbourne, Australia, back in October 2019.
Sydney Cricket Ground could also be an option, as it has a similar capacity to the Allianz arena. The Cricket Ground is less likely as the seats are some way from the center of the action, so it would probably generate less of an atmosphere. Also, the cricket season in Australia runs from September to April, which is another reason we can probably chalk this venue off from the list.
Israel Adesanya tweeted a few hours ago ‘please win’ referencing du Plessis. The tweet is assumed because ‘The Last Stylebender’ would like to defend his belt against a new opponent, having fought (and defeated) Whittaker on two previous occasions.
Adesanya’s want for a fresh opponent is understandable after he’s just come off a double-header against Alex Pereira; four bouts in total when you factor in the two kickboxing bouts they had before entering the UFC.
Other fights recently announced for UFC 290 include Jalin Turner (13-6) against Dan Hooker (22-12) and UFC legend Robbie Lawler (29-16-1NC) against Niko Price (15-6-2NC).
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