Morning Report: Dricus du Plessis says Sean Strickland win was ‘very clear’: ‘I don’t owe Sean something’

Dricus du Plessis isn’t giving any handouts throughout his title reign. To not Sean Strickland, anyway.

The UFC middleweight title has been considerably of a sizzling potato since Alex Pereira entered the promotion and threw your entire MMA entry off-kilter. Nobody’s managed to defend the title since Pereira captured it in November 2022 in opposition to Israel Adesanya, who gained it again and dropped it to Strickland earlier than dropping it to du Plessis at UFC 297 in January.

The cut up choice win was a aggressive however not overly controversial one regardless of its shut nature. Strickland has been probably the most vocal, after all, about a direct rematch however didn’t get it as he rebounded with a cut up choice win over Paulo Costa at UFC 302 in June. Now, he has no intentions of preventing anybody who is just not the champion. Sadly for him, du Plessis sees no motive to make “Tarzan” precedence No. 1 after he defends in opposition to Adesanya at UFC 305 subsequent Saturday.

“I don’t owe Sean something,” du Plessis advised Kevin Iole. “The foundations are fairly clear. It’s scored spherical by spherical. The truth that it was a cut up choice is the largest surprising issue for me. It was a really clear win for me. However like I mentioned, it’s for me, the largest combat is the combat that I would like, the combat the followers wish to see. On the finish of the day, they’re those that pay for the tickets, purchase the pay-per-views and, you understand, they’re those that watch this sport. So clearly for me, preventing the Adesanya combat was by far the largest combat that I may do. It’s in all probability the largest combat of the yr, one in every of them at the very least. The Strickland combat, positive. I imply, if that’s the combat that is sensible, that’s the combat that I’m going to combat.

“I’d have had no drawback in doing the rematch. I even advised the UFC, I mentioned, ‘There’s no drawback.’ In the event that they wish to do the rematch, if ‘Izzy’ isn’t able to combat or something, Strickland rematch, I’m greater than prepared. Even in Vegas in his hometown. I’ve no drawback with that. They determined to go with out the Adesanya combat, which is nice for me. Both approach, it might have been nice as a result of each of them had been massive fights. Myself and Strickland could be even greater the second time round. However I imply, this combat is large. So yeah, after this, we’ll strategy no matter comes after this, after this. However will probably be fascinating to see if Strickland’s even near the dialog with the Kamzat Chimaev and Robert Whitaker combat occurring quickly.”

Strickland’s reasonably underwhelming Costa win looks like a far cry to earn him his second-career shot at UFC gold. Seeing how lengthy he’ll wait round might be a narrative in its personal proper with how traditionally lively he’s been.

As du Plessis talked about, Whittaker vs. Chimaev at UFC 308 in October is nearly assured to be a title eliminator because it was initially deliberate for UFC Saudi Arabia in June. In the meantime, different wildcard choices have been teased as just lately as Wednesday’s Morning Report when light-weight champion Islam Makhachev’s coach, Javier Mendez, talked about leaping to middleweight.

“StillKnocks” understandably laughed on the concept.

“All people can dream, proper?” du Plessis responded to Mendez’s tease. “I all the time say, by no means cap your goals. Dream massive, however he’s dreaming actual massive. I’m very massive (laughs).

“In fact, on this sport, everyone needs that. Particularly after it’s been accomplished. I fully perceive going as much as one other division and preventing for one more belt as a result of there comes a stage the place it is sensible and Makhachev proper now, there’s individuals nonetheless left to combat. Hear, I’m not the one who’s going to say, no, not but. I’m one, for one, saying, you need to at the very least, on the very least defend your belt thrice, perhaps 4, relying on how the division appears to be like. Defending about belt thrice earlier than even ever contemplating going up. Until there’s a particular circumstance, which is sensible.”

A middleweight champion vs. light-weight champion matchup is actually a fantastical one. What isn’t as loopy is the middleweight champion difficult the sunshine heavyweight champion, which du Plessis has an curiosity in.

First order of enterprise: Take out Adesanya, cement his legacy at 185 kilos then discover different title prospects.

“I one hundred pc agree that individuals win a belt they usually instantly go, ‘I need a double [champ].’ You’re not Conor McGregor,” du Plessis mentioned. “He was the primary to do it, and he did it in spectacular trend. He was the trendsetter. He was the pioneer in doing that. So now everyone tries to be like that. That’s not the case. I imply, I perceive double champ. I additionally wish to go and grow to be a double champ in my profession, however I’m under no circumstances eager about doing it anytime quickly. The primary [goal] is to be probably the most dominant middleweight on the earth, after which going up a weight reduction after which cementing that legacy over there.”

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Victory. Spencer Lee advances to Olympic gold medal match for U.S., however Aaron Brooks suffers last-second loss

Predator. Francis Ngannou: PFL debut in opposition to Renan Ferreira will remind everybody ‘who I’m’

Location. UFC 307 formally introduced for Oct. 5 in Salt Lake Metropolis

Household. Aleksandre Topuria, brother of champion Ilia Topuria, indicators with UFC

Between the Hyperlinks.

MMA Combating’s Damon Martin chats with Belal Muhammad.

UFC Vegas 95 Preview.

UFC Muted.

Full combat.

PFL Struggle Camp.

Chandler drugs ball circuit.

Fancy Ninja Choke from Mount.

Large shout to Morning Report reader “adamburgerdavis” for suggesting the playlist concept within the feedback! After the suggestion, I needed to do one huge one or separate ones by the month since beginning… however I began the MM in like, April 2023 in order that’s type of loads of backtracking to do, sadly… Oh nicely. Higher late than by no means! Get your weekend began proper with just a little Orbit Tradition right this moment.

Go to Twitter, use the #MorningReport hashtag, or discover one in every of my tweets with it, and drop me a jam you’re presently actually into. I’ll decide one of the best one alongside my day by day alternative and provide you with a shoutout! It’s also possible to share within the feedback under — these are simply more durable to sift by means of generally!

This month’s full playlist:

Banter.

Sure, please.

Oscar actually hates Canelo.

Don’t present Dana.

He tried.

Melissa Mullins (6-1) vs. Montserrat Rendon (6-1); UFC Vegas 100, Nov. 9

No quick rematches for anybody who wasn’t robbed or a long-defending champion. Sean by no means match the invoice. No controversy. Easy.

Completely happy Friday, everybody! Comparatively quiet weekend for MMA… however UFC 305 is up subsequent. Must be enjoyable. Take pleasure in and keep secure on the market within the massive, loopy world. Thanks for studying!

When you discover one thing you’d wish to see within the Morning Report, hit up @DrakeRiggs_ on Twitter and let him find out about it. Additionally, observe MMAFighting on Instagram and like us on Fb.