The UFC’s new middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis has cautiously acknowledged his interest in defending his title at UFC 300 on April 13th in Las Vegas, but has suggested it all depends on how he heals up after his five-round battle with Sean Strickland.
“Nothing is certain yet, but that is what we want to do,” Du Plessis said during a press conference after returning home to South Africa. “UFC 300 is a big possibility if my body allows it. I took some punishment obviously with some small injuries.
“I’m not 100 percent sure what the gravity of those injuries are. I’m going to the doctor after this and making sure concussion tests are done, making sure we do the scans, making sure that there’s nothing serious injured. Then UFC 300 is a big, big possibility.”
It’s been suggested that du Plessis vs. former champion Israel Adesanya could be a fitting headliner for the UFC 300 show, but ‘Still Knocks’ has stated his belief that it’s a fight that would be better served taking place in the UFC’s much-talked about, but still not official debut in Africa.
“I have to be honest with you. If UFC Africa is going to happen, you’re going to look very far beyond to find a more perfect fight than me vs. Israel Adesanya and that’s a fight I want right here on home soil where he said he wants to make it happen.”
That does make sense storyline wise given that the two fighters have had words in the past about their African heritage, but with the pressure still on the power at be to secure a suitable headliner for UFC 300 they may still be eager to make use of du Plessis, with a title defense against Khamzat Chimaev also being a possibility too.
