The UFC 305 event featured the most anticipated fight: middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis clashed with former two-time champ Israel Adesanya. The bout was interesting, with both opponents showing impressive striking skills and groundwork. Alas, in the end, Du Plessis emerged victorious with a rear naked choke submission.
Many fighters were impressed by the champ’s victory, as many have long doubted his chances at taking on the Nigerian fighter. But “Stillknocks” proved the naysayers wrong, and many fight veterans were supportive of him, including interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. The fighter has called the South African athlete an intelligent fighter in a recent video on his YouTube channel.
“DDP, you can’t count this guy out,” Aspinall said. “I watch fights as a fan. But I also watch fights as a fighter to try and pick up little nuances. And I love to study different styles. For me personally, DDP is a guy who I’m baffled by, in all honesty. I’m completely baffled by his style. Because, you watch him and, to be brutally honest, he looks a little bit inferior to his opponents in terms of technique, but it’s amazing to watch because he obviously isn’t inferior.
“The game plans that this guy and his coaches are doing are absolutely unbelievable. Me personally, I think he’s one of the smartest fighters in the UFC and his team must be very, very smart as well,” Aspinall continued. “The guy just finds a way to win. He’s extremely physically strong. … He looks a little bit messy, and I’m sure we all can agree on that. But he makes up for it in spirit, his will to win, and persistence. If he doesn’t get what he’s going for, he will keep going and grind his opponents down until he gets it. He just looked fantastic out there (at UFC 305).”
Despite his controversial moves and unorthodox technique, Du Plessis has remained a champion and floored every opponent he has faced. The champ has found what works for him and seems intent on sticking to it.
