UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis can do some serious damage inside the Octagon, as one of his 2022 opponents can certainly attest to.
Du Plessis is fast approaching his third defense of the 185-pound crown. The South African is one of the longest-reigning active champions and plans to rule over the division all the way to middleweight GOAT status.
Not many would have predicted ‘Stillknocks’ to be in such a position. Early in his Octagon career, he frequently had his fighting style and prospects of success in the UFC dismissed by fellow fighters, fans, and analysts. But Du Plessis has proved his doubters wrong at every turn.
That includes at International Fight Week in 2022, when the then-future champ got through his hardest fight en route to the title.
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Dricus du Plessis was in awe of Brad Tavares’ heart in UFC 276 scrap
Khamzat Chimaev will challenge Du Plessis in Saturday’s UFC 319 main event. The undefeated ‘Borz’ is widely expected to be the biggest hurdle the South African has had in front of him inside the Octagon thus far.
Despite sharing the cage with former champions like Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker, and Sean Strickland, arguably the toughest test Du Plessis has faced to date came from a middleweight journeyman in Brad Tavares.
The pair collided in a brutal three-round affair at UFC 276, a card headlined by Adesanya’s win over Jared Cannonier and Alexander Volkanovski’s trilogy against Max Holloway in July 2022.
Du Plessis made a statement in that bout, specifically when one brutal knee in round two appeared to cave in the nose of Tavares. While there was blood running down his face for the remainder of the fight, the Hawaiian veteran did not let up.
He gave the South African all he could handle but ultimately fell on the losing side of a decision. But Tavares had given Du Plessis all he could handle, and the former KSW champ acknowledged that during his post-fight interview.
“You have the toughest motherf-—r in the world right here in your town,” Du Plessis said.
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Fans joined Dricus du Plessis in lauding Brad Tavares’ toughness
It was not just Du Plessis who had positive words for Tavares in the aftermath of the UFC 276 war.
Plenty of fans also gave the Hawaiian his flowers in defeat, particularly for surviving to hear the final horn despite suffering a gruesome nose break, which some compared to Mike Perry’s memorable injury against Vicente Luque.
“That fight was killer. Tavares looked to have better cardio with a broken nose but Du Plessis just didn’t let up. What a banger.”
“Hell of a chin.”
“Tavares is tough as nails. Du Plessis battered him for the duration of 3 rounds. He also busted Brad’s nose wide open.”
“Let’s give some love to Brad Tavares. Imagine how much heart and toughness it takes to sit there taking bombs from Du Plessis on your broken nose over and over. Beast.”
“Du Plessis doing reconstructive surgery on Tavares nose.”
“Well … Du Plessis vs. Tavares was bonkers. Tavares will have a new nose after this one. But did he do enough for the decision? I think it goes to Du Plessis.
“Tavares took a serious Mike Perry style knee that crushed his nose and he’s still going strong.”