Dricus du Plessis lays out plan to defeat UFC rival Israel Adesanya: ‘I think there’s a clear path to victory versus him’

Ahead of his incoming middleweight title-eliminator against former undisptued division champion, Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 in July, streaking contender, Dricus du Plessis has claimed there is a “clear path” to a win over current champion, Israel Adesanya.

du Plessis, the current #6 ranked middleweight contender, is slated to feature in a main card clash against former undisputed champion, Whittaker at UFC 290 in July during International Fight Week – with the victor set to fight Adesanya later this year.

In the midst of a promotional-perfect run of five consecutive victories, South African contender, du Plessis most recently turned in a second round corner stoppage TKO win over Derek Brunson at UFC 285 in March.

In December of last year, du Plessis landed a stunning third round win over former welterweight title challenger, Darren Till, submitting the now-promotional alum with a rear-naked choke at UFC 283. 

Dricus du Plessis believes there is a clear path to success against Israel Adesanya

Previewing his fight with Whittaker this summer, du Plessis claimed that a matchup with Adesanya would likely prove more favorable for him – laying out a path to victory against the City Kickboxing star.

“It’s not going to be, ‘Oh, if i get him to the floor it’s over,’” Dricus du Plessis told Submission Radio. “Will I scramble? No. He can do everything so I think both of them are really good in their own right. As far as preparation goes with (Israel) Adesanya there’s more of a blueprint to beating Adesanya, I believe. Even though he is so good and so hard to implement that blueprint. In think there is a clear path to victory versus Adesanya. He is just so good at not giving opponents their way.” 

“Where with Whittaker, the path to victory is not that simple,” Dricus du Plessis explained. “You have to catch him, that’s at the end fo the day what it’s going to be, you have to catch Robert Whittaker, or to outwork him is hard, to make him tired is hard, to get him to quit is nearly impossible. So, I think Whittaker [is] is the harder fight, where Adesanya [is] a lot more technical [than Robert Whittaker].”