MMA fighter Robert Whittaker has weighed in on the recent UFC 305 headlining fight involving Israel Adesanya and middleweight titleholder Dricus Du Plessis. He recognized Adesanya’s exceptional form during the match but conceded that the power of Du Plessis was simply overpowering.
Du Plessis, boasting a formidable record of 22-2 MMA and 8-0 UFC, kept his middleweight title intact after subduing Adesanya, who maintains a still respectable record of 24-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC, in the fourth round. Drawing from his own experiences in the ring, Whittaker remains intrigued by Du Plessis’s exceptional performance.
During Whittaker’s expression of his views on his MMArcade Podcast, he admitted he was enthralled by Du Plessis’s ability. He portrayed Du Plessis as a ‘true warrior’ and a formidable ‘weapon,’ often managing to land punches in a manner that appears slow yet effective.
Sharing his first-hand combat experience with Du Plessis, Whittaker recalled the South African’s strategy that proved unprepared opponents wrong. He pictured the first round as deceptive, making the fighter feel like they are dodging the slow-moving punches easily, creating a false sense of control.
Whittaker highlighted the false impression that an opponent gets in the beginning of the fight, describing it as, ‘This is too easy. I can see everything.’ Just when the opponent starts feeling secure about his winning chances, Du Plessis strikes.
Only then do opponents realize the actual power and strategy Du Plessis brings into the ring. He starts closing in little by little, risking more with each punch, reducing the safe zone the opponent thinks they have. Then, Du Plessis’s true power becomes apparent.
Following three intense rounds that witnessed several power exchanges, Du Plessis managed to breach Adesanya’s defense. Du Plessis lunged forward boldly, landing a few powerful shots to stun Adesanya before securing him in a rear-naked choke submission.
Whittaker offered his understanding of the final exchange that led to the fight’s conclusion. He recognized Adesanya’s ability to absorb heavy blows, stating Adesanya has a robust chin and acknowledged Adesanya’s resilience in the face of Du Plessis’s onslaught.
Despite his ferocious defense, Whittaker recognized the moment Du Plessis seized the opportunity. After landing the heavy shots, Du Plessis pressed onto Adesanya, took him down, and instantly secured the back, demonstrating remarkable instincts he had trained specifically for transitions like this.
Whittaker acknowledged that the successful transition might appear as a mere stroke of luck to an uninformed observer, but he was quick to attribute it to Du Plessis’s tremendous power that creates such opportunities in the first place.
In his analysis, Whittaker pointed out that there were too many variables and hypotheticals that could’ve pushed the fight in a different direction. To get the full picture, he reasoned, one has to hear it from Du Plessis himself.
Despite losing, Whittaker believed that Adesanya still delivered a remarkable performance. He concluded by showcasing his respect towards both fighters. He affirmed Du Plessis as a true warrior while recognising what must be done to create a successful strategy against him.
To defeat someone of Du Plessis’s caliber, Whittaker mentioned, one must be prepared to give everything they’ve got. He recognizes the South African fighter’s prowess, strength, and strategy as key factors in his success.
Overall, Whittaker’s analysis gives us a deep dive into the minds of the MMA fighters, filtering through the power, form, and technique used in the showdown between Israel Adesanya and Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305.