Following Dricus Du Plessis' successful title defence against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in Perth last weekend, UFC fighters and critics have been left intrigued by "Stillknocks" fighting technique, with some even describing it as "extremely awkward".
Du Plessis's fourth-round submission victory against "The Last Stylebender" on Sunday extended his unbeaten streak to eight in the UFC. The win also saw him leapfrog Bantamweight Champion Sean O'Malley as the sixth-best pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC in the rankings.
However, despite his success, his style has received intense scrutiny. Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker said that with his style, Du Plessis could fit in any pub in Sydney.
"He runs at you throwing punches like you stole something from him and it works. It works, I don't know how to sum him up, he would fit in perfectly anywhere in a pub in Sydney. He makes it work," Whittaker told MMArcade Podcast.
Reacting to the fight, UFC boss Dana White said Du Plessis “fights like how a white guy dances”.
"Dricus is so awkward and so unorthodox he must be the toughest guy to train for he fights like how a white guy dances. It's so crazy and awkward but very effective."
The 12th ranked middleweight Caio Borralho said it was unbelievable how bad Du Plessis' fighting style was, but congratulated the South African on his success.
“It’s crazy this one because whenever Dricus fights, I always bet against him, you know. But he makes it work, you know. It’s crazy how he makes it work.
"Props to him. I just need to congratulate him because even with bad technique, bad game plan, crazy style, he always makes it work, and he’s winning," Borralho told the media.
Du Plessis' next title fight will be against number one contender Sean Strickland in what will be a rematch of UFC 297.
IOL Sport