Dricus du Plessis targeting February return to UFC in title fight with Robert Whittaker: ‘They’re going to give him the shot’

Undisputed middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis lining up a return to action as soon as February according to his coach, Morne Visser, who believes the UFC will pivot and pit his student in a title rematch with Robert Whittaker — whom he believes beats Khamzat Chimaev this month.

du Plessis, the current undisputed middleweight gold holder, most recently defended his divisional crown for the first time back in August at UFC 305.

Headlining the flagship event in Perth, Dricus du Plessis would turn in a stunning fourth round rear-naked choke submission win over former two-time titleholder, Israel Adesanya in their grudge championship fight, adding to his prior title win at the beginning of the year against Sean Strickland.

And while the Pretoria native has been pegged to fight former champion, Strickland in a rematch next according to UFC CEO, Dana White, the above-mentioned Visser has confirmed how his student is expecting a return at UFC 312 in February — in another trip ‘Downunder’, however, against another former gold holder, Whittaker.

Dricus du Plessis expected to fight Robert Whittaker in UFC 312 rematch

“I had a conversation actually yesterday with Dricus (du Plessis),” Morne Visser told Submission Radio. “And I said to him, there’s only one thing for certain at this stage, only one thing, and that’s that we’ve got to be ready to fight in Sydney in February. My opinion is Sean’s (Strickland) overselling it. He’s I mean, he’s just had one win. After that was against (Paulo) Costa. (Robert) Whittaker had two, and I think he’s going to go for number three now. So I think my opinion is my honest opinion, is that next for us in line will be Whittaker in Sydney in February. I think he’s going to beat Khamzat (Chimaev) and I honestly think that they’re going to give him the shot.”

In the midst of a two-fight winning spree over the above-mentioned Costa and short-notice foe, Ikram Aliskerov since his knockout defeat to Dricus du Plessis last summer, Whittaker is slated to co-headline UFC 308 later this month in a title-eliminator against the unbeaten, Chimaev over the course of five rounds.