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The complexion of the UFC middleweight division has changed several times since late 2022. Israel Adesanya first lost the 185-pound strap to Alex Pereira before regaining it in a rematch. Unfortunately, 'The Last Stylebender's' second title reign was short-lived, as his subsequent bout saw him lose to Sean Strickland.
However, 'Tarzan' himself failed to defend his title, losing it to Dricus du Plessis in 2024's first pay-per-view. Now, all things point to the South African defending his newly minted championship against Adesanya, ideally at UFC 300. However, with nothing yet confirmed by the promotion, several factors could derail the matchup.
The middleweight division is in a chaotic state. Not since Adesanya's initial reign has there been consistently at the top. So it wouldn't be shocking if something were to occur to interfere with the rumored bout between du Plessis and Strickland.
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#5. Dricus du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland 2
At UFC 297, Dricus du Plessis and Sean Strickland went to war. In fact, it is of the opinion of many, including the promotion's CEO, that Strickland had done enough to earn the judges' nod. Several fans were in uproar after du Plessis was crowned the new middleweight champion, with accusations of a robbery.
While the UFC has stated that an immediate rematch isn't their current priority, it isn't outside the realm of possibility. First, Strickland has marked himself as a star. His UFC 297 post-fight interview generated over a million views on YouTube, which is a testament to his connection with the fans.
Second, Adesanya is currently injured and on a hiatus. Perhaps to settle all talk of their initial bout being a robbery, a rematch between du Plessis and Strickland could take place. Even if unlikely, it's possible.
#4. The UFC books Khamzat Chimaev in a title fight
Khamzat Chimaev is currently the #9 fighter in the UFC middleweight division. He is in no position to fight for the title, despite his previous bout with Kamaru Usman being billed as a title eliminator by Dana White. Furthermore, his performance against Usman, a welterweight coming in on short notice, was underwhelming.
However, he was promised a title shot, and the top of the division is in dire straits. At #1 is Sean Strickland, who just lost his title to Dricus du Plessis. Meanwhile, Israel Adesanya, who is injured and on a hiatus, is right below him. At #3 is Robert Whittaker, whose last fight saw him get brutally finished by the new champion.
Past that, there is Jared Cannonier, who no one is in a hurry to watch after his widely criticized performance against Adesanya. Perhaps to inject some excitement into the division, the UFC opts to book Chimaev in his promised title fight.
#3. Paulo Costa winning at UFC 298
Paulo Costa is scheduled to take on former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 298. It is a matchup that the promotion has tried to book previously, but the common Costa shenanigans prevented them from doing so. Despite the Brazilian becoming more of a meme, he remains driven.
He has not fought for a title since a humiliating loss to Israel Adesanya. After a subsequent defeat to Marvin Vettori, 'Borrachinha' bounced back with a hard-fought win over Luke Rockhold, a former champion. If he emerges victorious over Whittaker, the #3 middleweight on the roster, it will be hard to deny him.
For him to fight Dricus du Plessis would mean that the rumored matchup between the South African and Adesanya would take a backseat. Furthermore, it would be a fresh bout that would shake things up in the division even more so than it's already been.
#2. Robert Whittaker beating Paulo Costa at UFC 298
No one will ever confuse Robert Whittaker for someone who chases money fights. He is driven by his desire to prove himself as the world's best. To do so, he must reclaim the middleweight title that he lost to Israel Adesanya back in 2019. His first test is to beat Paulo Costa.
Given his ranking in the top three, 'The Reaper' is close enough to earn a title shot off of just one win. If he manages to beat Costa and remain injury-free, he could earn a rematch with Dricus du Plessis. Not only will it be his chance to avenge a crushing loss, but he will also regain his title.
Check out Robert Whittaker's call for a rematch with Dricus du Plessis:
Whittaker recently spoke about having previously underestimated du Plessis by preparing inadequately for him. It is clear that he hopes to undo the wrong of his loss to the South African. If he defeats Costa in impressive fashion and even finishes him, it could propel him into title contention.
#1. Alex Pereira makes his return to middleweight
The middleweight division lost a massive star when Alex Pereira made the move to light heavyweight, where he has gone on to quickly capture the divisional crown by beating former champion Jiří Procházka. One of the reasons he bulked up to 205 pounds was the grueling weight cut to middleweight.
It left him drained and compromised his chin. However, Dricus du Plessis expressed an interest in facing the light heavyweight kingpin. Could 'Poatan' be coaxed into returning to middleweight to become a simultaneous two-division champion? He appears to be considering one last run at middleweight.
Or, in a different scenario, du Plessis could opt to chase two-division champ status himself and challenge Pereira for his 205-pound strap. Regardless, either option pushes the Israel Adesanya fight to the background.
