Former UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis’ title loss to Khamzat Chimaev was so one-sided it was embarrassing. The massive South African, who had steamrollered his solution to the 185-pound title, was rendered fully helpless by Chimaev’s smothering wrestling sport. All the ability, gasoline tank and strain counts for nothing in case you’re trapped on the mat, and that was Du Plessis’ struggle, for 5 lengthy, irritating rounds.
It meant that, after shedding the belt, he solely had one possibility; to get again within the health club and work on his shortcomings. And in his comeback struggle in opposition to Kamaru Usman in Oklahoma Metropolis, it regarded like he had achieved precisely that. He referred to as the most recent iteration of himself “Stillknocks 2.0”, and based mostly on his efficiency at Paycom Middle on Saturday evening, he appears to be like able to return to the highest of the middleweight division.
Du Plessis confirmed improved takedown protection in opposition to Usman, which allowed him to impose his trademark combating strategy on “The Nigerian Nightmare” as he rocked the previous undisputed welterweight champion on a number of events en path to a landslide determination victory.
It was top-of-the-line showings we’ve seen from Du Plessis within the Octagon, and proved that he’s prepared for an additional shot at championship gold. To make issues much more tantalizing for the South African, Du Plessis wouldn’t need to face Chimaev for the belt. As an alternative, he’ll need to tackle present champion Sean Strickland, a person he’s defeated twice in world title fights already.
The one potential problem is the presence of French contender Nassourdine Imavov, who sits on the entrance of the middleweight queue, and is deserving of his personal shot at championship gold. If Strickland is able to go, reserving that struggle in all probability makes extra sense for the division, however when it comes to pure field workplace pull, a 3rd struggle between Strickland and Du Plessis would appear to hold larger weight.
There’s at all times the choice of Du Plessis and Imavov dealing with off for the honour of taking over Strickland subsequent. Of the three potential matchups at play, the title eliminator may simply be one of the best struggle of the lot.
The UFC has a brand new Diaz brother on their fingers
When the game’s large stars begin to age their means out of the game, there are sometimes discussions over the place the UFC’s subsequent heroes will come from. However the world of sport at all times appears to discover a solution to generate new stars, and there’s an opportunity we received a glimpse of a brand new one on Saturday evening.
Featherweight Tommy McMillen was solely competing in his second UFC struggle, however all the pieces about his efficiency at UFC Oklahoma Metropolis recommended that he may sooner or later grow to be one of many UFC’s large fan-favorite fighters.
His devil-may-care strategy and offensive combating fashion evoked reminiscences of the Diaz brothers of their prime, with McMillen piecing up the gifted, however outgunned, Alberto Montes at Paycom Middle on Saturday evening.
It was an actual assertion efficiency from McMillen, who carries an identical air of star energy to a sure Sean O’Malley, who he trains alongside in Arizona. However whereas “The Suga Present” leans in the direction of flashy, spectacular placing, “Tommy Gun” is all violence. His continuous barrage of strikes in opposition to Montes noticed him break the all-time featherweight report for important strikes in a three-round struggle. It additionally earned him a cool six-figure bonus on the finish of the evening. To cap it off, he delivered the form of post-fight promo a WWE celebrity would have been happy with.
In an period the place the fighters seemingly have to entertain as a lot as they win, McMillen appears to be like tailor made for the most recent period of the UFC. And if he is ready to win greater than he loses, he may rapidly grow to be one of many sport’s greatest rising stars.
