"We have to respect Dricus du Plessis" - Daniel Cormier issues brutal reality check to Islam Makhachev over middleweight aspirations
Daniel Cormier recently offered his honest opinion on a potential Islam Makhachev vs. Dricus du Plessis fight in the middleweight division. The reigning lightweight champion is coming off an impressive win against Renato Moicano at UFC 311. He has expressed his wish to move to another division and fight for another belt.
Recently, after Makhachev's record-breaking title defense against Moicano, there was a lot of speculation about him going to the middleweight division and fighting du Plessis. He also asserted his capabilities of challenging 'Stillknocks' in the middleweight division.
Cormier weighed in on the prospects of the match-up between the pair and acknowledged the reigning middleweight champion based on his past victims. He also highlighted the variation in size and weight between the duo in his observation. Talking on his podcast 3 Rounds, Cormier said:
"I know it may not look as appealing to some as they want their world champion to look but, we just watched him submit Israel Adesanya. We just watched him break him down over the course of three rounds and get him to a point where Izzy got submitted...We've seen him beat Sean Strickland, we've seen him finish Robert Whittaker, at some point we have to respect Dricus du Plessis."
'DC' further offered his take on Makhachev's aspirations to face du Plessis:
"I don't know that Islam would understand how hard it would be to fight a guy of that size. I think this guy might weigh 220 when he's not making weight. You know many people talk about the amount of weight that the Russians cut and Islam cuts weight to make 155 but I don't know even on his heaviest days, he weighs a 185."
Check out Daniel Cormier's comments on Islam Makhachev and Dricus du Plessis below (9:08):
Dricus du Plessis responds to reports of Alex Pereira being in the Corner of Sean Strickland at UFC 312
Dricus du Plessis faced Sean Strickland in their first meeting inside the octagon at UFC 297. He won the bout by a split decision and walked away with the belt. Following his win 'Stillknocks' defended his belt against Israel Adesanya in his first title defense at UFC 305.
The reigning middleweight champion is scheduled to lock horns with Strickland in a rematch at UFC 312 in his upcoming showdown. It was reported that former rival turned friend, Alex Pereira will be in the 33-year-old challenger's corner.
Championship Rounds posted a video on X in which combat sports journalist Shakiel Mahjouri is seen asking du Plessis about the news. In response, du Plessis said:
"He was in the corner in the first fight too. I mean they don't even speak the same language. It doesn't really make much of a difference whether he is in the corner or not. Strickland can barely understand his own coach who’s also American. How’s he gonna understand Alex Pereira."
Watch Dricus du Plessis' reaction to Alex Pereira being in Sean Strickland's corner at UFC 312 below: