Robert Whittaker details “Superpower” Dricus du Plessis uses to fuel his UFC success
Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker believes one aspect of Dricus du Plessis’s skillset has fueled his rise to the world title.
Whittaker will face the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev in the UFC 308 co-main event on October 26th in Abu Dhabi. The card is headlined by a UFC featherweight title clash between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway.
A win over Chimaev could potentially earn Whittaker a title shot for his next UFC booking. Du Plessis, who most recently defeated Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, is expected to face Sean Strickland for his next title defense.
Du Plessis’s path to the middleweight summit featured a jaw-dropping finish of Whittaker at UFC 290. The win put du Plessis firmly on the middleweight title map, and he went on to defeat Strickland at UFC 297 for the belt.
Du Plessis’s unorthodox fighting style has perplexed fans, pundits, and fellow fighters alike. But Whittaker feels that du Plessis’s mind is the steering wheel behind his dominant run.
Robert Whittaker: Dricus du Plessis’s mentality is his greatest superpower
In a recent interview with Main Event, Whittaker pointed to the biggest difference maker behind du Plessis’s UFC run.
“I think he’s got a really solid headspace and mentality for winning fights,” Whittaker said of du Plessis. “I think that’s like his superpower because he’s an awkward dude, he obviously hits really hard, and he’s tough as nails. But I think all of that stems from his relentlessness mentally. He’s literally willing to die out there, and I think if you don’t match that mentality, if you don’t come into the Octagon with the same headspace, you’re not going to take it from him.” (h/t MMANews)
Despite Whittaker’s complimentary rhetoric, he wants a rematch against du Plessis as soon as possible. He’s recently claimed he’s figured out the correct gameplan to dethrone the sitting champion.
First thing’s first for Whittaker as he prepares to face Chimaev at UFC 308. But, he could be on the verge of getting revenge against his former foe.
