That steady rise, paired with Du Plessis’ rock-solid mentality and confidence, fortifies his mindset as the stage continues to grow. Not only is he accustomed to the Octagon, but he is also on solid footing when it comes to continuously taking another step up the divisional ladder.
“Every fight is the biggest fight of my career because without winning your debut, you’re not going to be fighting for the one contender spot in the world,” he said. “Every fight after that leads to higher and higher and higher (spots), climbing the ladder, and at the top of the pile, the champion.”
MORE UFC 290: Full Fight Card Preview | Fantasy Stats | Coach Breakdown | Fighters On The Rise | Watch Every Episode Of Embedded
His last two wins over Darren Till and Derek Brunson had their moments of back-and-forth flurries but, ultimately, “Stillknocks” showed his grit and finishing instincts in both matchups.
He’ll need that in spades against Whittaker, who hasn’t lost to anyone at 185 pounds other than Israel Adesanya. It’s a fascinating matchup for myriad reasons, but especially considering 18 of Du Plessis’ 19 wins came via finish (the lone decision coming against Brad Tavares), whereas Whittaker has only been finished thrice in his 14-year professional career.
