LAS VEGAS – Dricus Du Plessis knows he’s the betting underdog – and in a weird way, he kind of agrees with it.
At a UFC 290 pre-fight news conference Wednesday ahead of Saturday’s event at T-Mobile Arena, Du Plessis (19-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) was asked about the public’s doubt, particularly the oddsmakers’. Currently, Du Plessis is a +280 underdog on average across major online sportsbooks (per BestFightOdds).
Rather than pitch himself or argue his case, Du Plessis took a step back and said he understands the widespread perception – even though he disagrees that it’ll turn out to be accurate when steps in the cage to fight Robert Whittaker (25-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC).
“I didn’t even know I was the favorite every time (before this),” Du Plessis told MMA Junkie and other reporters. “With a guy like Whittaker, I’m not surprised that I’m the underdog. On what grounds do you say, ‘No, on betting odds, Dricus is beating Whittaker?’ On what grounds? My opponents don’t add up to his. The amount of fights don’t add up. He’s had the belt. He’s fought the champ twice. He hasn’t lost to anybody else in almost a decade. Yeah, he deserves to be the betting favorite, 100 percent.
“I’m not even offended by it at all. For me, this is where I’m taking over. This is where I become the betting favorite. This is a fight that puts me in that tier. One hundred percent this is my time. There’s a champion and there’s a contender. Up until you beat the champion, nobody believes you’re going to be that champion. Robert Whittaker, rightfully so, is a fan-and-betting-favorite. That is for now, up until I surpass that spot.”
By all accounts including his own, Du Plessis views Whittaker as the toughest test of his competitive career. Whittaker has seemed unbeatable against everyone not named Israel Adesanya.
“(Robert Whittaker) is definitely the best opponent I’ve faced in my career,” Du Plessis said. “I can say the same to him. He’s an incredible, incredible fighter. People will say, ‘Where do you see holes in his game?’ To see a hole in a game of someone like Whittaker is extremely, extremely hard. I don’t think that’s the way to go. I’m looking for holes in his game. I’m looking to force mistakes and capitalize on those. That’s exactly what I’m going to do when I go out there: enforce my style.”
UFC president Dana White previously hinted the winner of Saturday’s key middleweight bout could be in line for a title shot at UFC 293 in Sydney this September. The rivalry between South Africa-born Du Plessis and Nigeria-born New Zealand resident Adesanya has centered around “African-ness,” making the relationship someone volatile. However, Du Plessis said his path isn’t about going through Adeasnya specifically. It’s about whoever has the title.
“I don’t want to fight Izzy. I want to fight the guy with the belt,” Du Plessis said. “Whether it’s Izzy, whether it’s Strickland, I don’t care. For me, it’s about fighting whoever has that title to become the champion.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 290.
