Dricus willing to step up in weight to fight Pereira

Julian Kiewietz

Dricus du Plessis’ head coach, Morne Visser, echoed his champion’s sentiments surrounding a potential fight with current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and wants a fight as soon as December.

Shortly after South Africa’s UFC middleweight champion defended his title against Israel Adesanya, getting him to submit him via rear-naked choke at UFC 305 in Australia on Sunday, Pereira posted a picture of himself with Du Plessis on TV in the background with a caption reading: “I am going down to 84kg again. Coming down to 185 one more time.”

Alex Pereira said that he wants to fight Dricus Du Plessis at 185 lbs and DDP replied saying he'd come up to 205 lbs to fight Pereira for his belt 👀

They both want a shot at becoming a double champion against each other 🏆🏆 #UFC305 pic.twitter.com/ipRCTbgnKL

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) August 18, 2024

After seeing the post, Du Plessis confirmed that he would like to save Pereira the trouble and excuses of battling with a weight cut, suggesting that he would go up to 93kg instead to face the former middleweight champion for his new belt.

During an interview with Submission Radio, Visser agreed that his gladiator would gladly challenge the Brazilian for his light-heavyweight strap later this year.

“I won’t give him the joy of going down to 185lbs. We will rather go up,” said the Pretoria-based mastermind.

“We don’t want to beat him and then he makes excuses that he was fatigued (due to the weight cut),” added Visser, referring to Pereira’s statement a few months back that moving up to light-heavyweight is more suitable to him.

“No, we will go up. I’m sure the UFC will be okay with that. If Alex (Pereira) did say he wanted to fight Dricus, we would go up. I know Dricus is game.”

Visser went as far as highlighting a month when the two could meet in a potential super fight.

“I will not wait for him to come down, no. He is fighting in October, so I hope the UFC can give us this blessing as soon as December.”

Pereira, the only man to beat Adesanya twice in kickboxing, transitioned to mixed martial arts and signed with the UFC in 2021. He quickly worked his way up and met with then-UFC middleweight champion Adesanya again inside the octagon, where he made it 3-1 against the Nigerian, knocking him out in round five at UFC 281.

Adesanya got one back, stopping the Brazilian in the second round of their MMA title fight rematch at UFC 287. Pereira then moved up to light-heavyweight, where he continued to wreak havoc with four wins, becoming champion in the process.

On October 5, he will defend his title against No 8-ranked contender Khalil Roundtree at UFC 307. Speaking on UFC 305, former double champion (heavyweight and light-heavyweight) Daniel Cormier said that he feels Du Plessis has proved he can do whatever he wants.

Speaking to Submission Radio, Cormier, who has openly criticised Du Plessis in the past, said that the South African has the potential to become a double champion.

“Dricus can do whatever he wants, he has shown time and time again that he can do anything,” said Cormier.

“Alex Pereira proved that it’s possible to go up from middleweight to light- heavyweight and be successful. So yes, I think he – under the right circumstances – can do it.

“A lot of the time it’s about the right match-ups, and having the right person holding the title. That is often what makes you take that decision. With the right match-up, Dricus can become a light-heavyweight champion.”