Dricus Du Plessis welcomes Alex Pereira’s post-UFC 305 callout, prefers 205 kilos with no ‘excuses’

PERTH, Australia – Dricus Du Plessis has a counterproposal for Alex Pereira after he claimed he’ll return to middleweight following UFC 305.

Du Plessis (22-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) registered his first middleweight title protection Saturday when he submitted Israel Adesanya within the fourth spherical at RAC Enviornment. Shortly after his hand was raised, former divisional kingpin and present gentle heavyweight champ Pereira (11-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) sent a clear message that he’ll return to his former weight class.

If Du Plessis was to battle Pereira, nevertheless, his desire could be for it to not occur at 185 kilos. It’s no secret Pereira minimize an enormous quantity of weight to battle in that division, and Du Plessis thinks the Brazilian coming again down would sully a possible victory in his favor.

Due to that, Du Plessis pitched the thought of transferring as much as 205 kilos, the place Pereira could be at optimum power.

“I actually don’t suppose Alex Pereira ought to drop all the way down to 185,” Du Plessis informed reporters, together with MMA Junkie, post-fight at UFC 305. “If he desires to? Nice. Good. However then we’re going to listen to the justifications. I noticed Izzy stiff that man within the (second) spherical. I felt Izzy’s punching energy. Izzy has nice timing. He’s quick, he’s lengthy and he has nice combos, however I felt the facility. If Izzy stiffens you want that, you do not need to be there in with me – particularly not once you’re going to come back with the excuse of, ‘I minimize an excessive amount of weight.’

“That’s going to occur. Everybody goes to say that. So keep at 205. Combat your battle towards the No. 8-ranked man, (Khalil Rountree at UFC 307). Cool. Combat your battle there and revel in it. If (Sean) Strickland is the following battle that individuals wish to see that battle – that’s the battle individuals wish to see and that’s the battle individuals suppose is the following greatest man – then that’s the battle that I need. So let me deal with my enterprise, you deal with what you are promoting. You don’t have to chop the burden to have some type of excuse. I’ll come up after the Strickland battle. I’ll come as much as 205 and we’ll type it on the market.”

Du Plessis, 30, stated he’s not trying to escape the middleweight division and is aware of he has a lot work to do. He has vital ambitions for greatness beneath the UFC banner, but when the members of the promotional brass are open to a matchup between Pereira and him, he gladly would leap as much as take the chance to develop into a two-weight champion.

“If that’s what the UFC desires, I’ll be prepared for it,” Du Plessis stated. “I’ll be prepared for it proper now, however I’m not chasing that. I imagine to be thought-about as the best to ever do that sport, I must be thought-about as the best middleweight, first. I’m the primary man to beat Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. I’ve beat three of the highest 20 pound-for-pound fighters, so can I please get again within the high 10? I beat Strickland, I beat Whittaker and I beat Adesanya. I haven’t been on social media, however I can’t wait to see what the critics say now.”

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 305.