JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Robert Whittaker Roots For Alex Pereira at Light Heavyweight Instead of Challenging Dricus Du Plessis: ‘Don't Think That's a Good…’
Robert Whittaker shares why he thinks Alex Pereira should avoid dropping back to middleweight for a fight with Dricus du Plessis. Share your thoughts!
At UFC 305, Dricus Du Plessis stunned everyone by submitting Israel Adesanya to win the middleweight title. Soon after, Alex Pereira hinted at a move back to middleweight to challenge Du Plessis. But is that a wise choice? Robert Whittaker doesn’t think so. The former middleweight champion believes dropping back down is risky for Pereira.
Why would a current light-heavyweight champion want to make this switch? Whittaker points out the difficulties of cutting weight and facing a formidable opponent like Du Plessis. Should Pereira stay at light heavyweight, where he’s already dominant? Or is the challenge worth it?
During an interview with Submission Radio, Robert Whittaker delved deeper into the potential pitfalls awaiting Alex Pereira if he decides to make the transition back to middleweight to face Dricus Du Plessis. The conversation highlighted Whittaker's skepticism and his emphasis on the considerable challenges Pereira might face.
Whittaker openly questioned the wisdom of Pereira's hinted move, remarking, “Not really. Well, I hope not really. Right? I think, honestly, I don't think that's a good fight for him." This response underscores a palpable concern for the ramifications of fluctuating weight classes, especially after a fighter has settled into a higher division.
He further elaborated, “Like, yeah, I don't think that's a good fight for him. But also, like, when you move up to light heavyweight, moving back down is tricky, but, and it's not like you move up for one fight. He stayed up there. He's been fighting up there for a while now, so it's, it would take a lot out of him to get down.” This highlights the physical toll and adaptation challenges inherent in such a significant weight change.
Moreover, Whittaker pointed out the stylistic matchup issues, especially given Pereira's tendency to absorb hits. “And Dricus is so strong there. Alex gets hit and Dricus likes getting hit, so I don't, I don't. Yeah, it's hard to see someone with the amount of power to stop Dricus from walking forward into you,” he explained.
Whittaker reflected on Du Plessis's recent performance as well, “Adesanya's got a really good chin. And Dricus was still hurting him enough to make him uncomfortable.” This statement encapsulates the danger Pereira could face if he doesn’t consider all factors before stepping back into the middleweight fray.
Alex Pereira thinks Dricus du Plessis is scared to fight him. Since Du Plessis defended his middleweight belt against Israel Adesanya, Pereira has been eager to challenge him. On his YouTube channel, Pereira didn’t hold back about Du Plessis’ reaction to the idea of him dropping back down to 185 lbs.
He said, “Dricus talked about my weight… After I talked about going down one more time, the first thing Dricus said was that it was a problem.” Pereira believes this response shows hesitation from Du Plessis, hinting that the middleweight champ might not be keen on facing him.
“It seems like he’s a bit scared,” Pereira added, making it clear he’s ready to go down to 185 lbs if it means a fight with Du Plessis. So, what do you think? Should Pereira stick to light heavyweight, where he’s already a champion, or is the challenge at middleweight worth the risk?
ALSO READ: Sean Strickland Opens Up About Challenges of Facing Alex Pereira: ‘I’m Not Scared…but My Chin’
You May Like This
Latest Articles
