Middleweight champ Dricus: ‘I don’t see myself as one of the greats’

Even though Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis has the chance of beating three of the past four champions in the division, the South African feels he still has a lot of work to do before he can be considered one of the greats of the sport.

Former champion Israel Adesanya of Nigeria stands in the way of Du Plessis achieving this feat and come Sunday morning (SA time) the South African could be well on his way to greatness.

The man from Pretoria, who goes by the nickname “Stillknocks”, has beaten former champions Robert Whitaker of New Zealand and American Sean Strickland in his last two fights to stand on the pedestal of the middleweight division with Brazilian Alex Pereira — who has moved to a heavier division — the only former champion he has not beaten.

‘Take care of business’

“If you put it that way, it puts me pretty high (on the list of great middleweights), but this is not how I see it. I still have a lot of work to do to even be considered in that conversation and this is still the beginning and that is how I see it,” Du Plessis said at a press conference in Perth on Thursday.

When asked about how he and his Nigerian challenger were feeling personally about the contest, the champion was as straight-up as he always is.

Du Plessis famously said a while back that he is the only true African champion in the UFC.

“Obviously, he (Adesanya) is taking things very personal, but all I stated was the facts,” Du Plessis explained.

“He is angry, but I don’t care. I am here to take care of business and my business is winning — not defending this belt, winning.”

Favourite

Adesanya, meanwhile is expecting the South African to be at his best for this showdown.

“He says he feels amazing, which is good because that is what I want,” said the Nigerian who, despite being the challenger, goes into the fight as the favourite.

Meanwhile, Du Plessis has confirmed he is unable to attend the Springboks’ Rugby Championship game against the Wallabies — also in Perth this weekend — to focus on replenishing after Saturday’s weigh-in.

“Being in Australia we only get 24 hours to recover and rehydrate after a weigh-in (not the usual 36 hours as in the United States due to time difference), but I will be watching the game from my room and cheering the boys on like I always do,” he said.