If it wasn’t clear already, the middleweight division now firmly lies in the palm of Dricus Du Plessis’ hand.
The South African made that point clear on Saturday when he defended his title for the first time by taking down former champion Israel Adesanya via submission in the fourth round at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia.
Du Plessis previously claimed the belt with a decision win over Sean Strickland at UFC 297 in Toronto.
Adesanya entered the bout as a previous two-time 185-pound champion and one of the greatest middleweights the promotion has ever seen, looking to be the first to claim the belt for a third time.
But “Stillknocks” proved too much at the RAC Arena on Saturday night, even while facing a hostile crowd.
With the win, the 30-year-old has taken down the division’s top three contenders in three consecutive fights and remains undefeated in the UFC (8-0).
More to come.
