"Everybody goes night-night" - When Joe Rogan gave a no-holds-barred take on Dricus du Plessis potentially fighting Alex Pereira
Joe Rogan once shared his candid opinion on the possibility of Dricus du Plessis setting his sights on a clash with Alex Pereira. du Plessis has firmly expressed his intention to challenge reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Pereira, with the goal of becoming a two-division champion in the future.
'Stillknocks' successfully defended his middleweight title for the first time at UFC 305 in August, securing a fourth-round submission victory over former champion Israel Adesanya. Following the triumph, du Plessis reignited the possibility of a champion vs. champion clash.
During the UFC 305 Fight Companion podcast in August, Rogan voiced his excitement about the prospect of du Plessis stepping up a weight class to challenge 'Poatan' for the 205-pound title. The veteran UFC commentator expressed his support for the South African and suggested that it's a fight worth taking a risk on:
"[du Plessis] could definitely go to 205. Wouldn’t you love to see him try? He can take a shot, for sure. But can you take a shot from [Pereira], and can you take a shot from that guy at 205? Because that guy at 205 puts everybody night-night. Everybody goes night-night."
He added:
"If Dricus goes up to 205 and fights Alex, oh my goodness. I’ll fly to the moon to commentate that fight. I want to see that fight. That’s crazy."
Check out Joe Rogan's comments below (2:47:47):
'Stillknocks' is preparing to defend his middleweight title against former foe Sean Strickland in the headline bout of UFC 312, set for Feb. 9 at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.
The two previously squared off at UFC 297, where du Plessis emerged victorious with a split decision, capturing the 185-pound title.
When Dricus du Plessis explained why he's not rushing to challenge Alex Pereira
During an interview with Submission Radio in November, Dricus du Plessis revealed his long-term ambitions, reiterating his goal of eventually facing Alex Pereira.
However, 'Stillknocks' made it clear that he’s in no rush and expressed his intention to defend his middleweight title twice more to solidify his legacy before considering a move up in weight class:
"It's a fight I want. I always say, for me, this is all about legacy. When it's all said and done, I want to be known as one of the greatest to ever walk this earth, and for me to do that, I only want to fight the best guys in the world. So, yeah, beating Khamzat [Chimaev] definitely gets me in that conversation."
He added:
"Like I said, I'm never in a rush, but a good point you're making is I would love that fight before the man [Pereira] decides to retire because, if he does decide to retire today, it would be totally warranted."
Check out Dricus du Plessis' comments below (22:58):