Home / Sports / Dricus du Plessis Unfazed by Pereira's Alleged Dislike, Calls Him 'Greatest Combat Athlete'
Dricus du Plessis Unfazed by Pereira's Alleged Dislike, Calls Him 'Greatest Combat Athlete'
16 Jul
Summary
- Strickland claims Pereira "hates" du Plessis, but du Plessis says they've never spoken
- Du Plessis considers Pereira "one of the greatest combat athletes" despite any potential dislike
- Chimaev heavily favored to beat du Plessis in upcoming UFC 319 middleweight title fight
In the lead-up to his upcoming UFC 319 middleweight title fight against Khamzat Chimaev, Dricus du Plessis has addressed claims that fellow fighter Alex Pereira dislikes him. Earlier this year, Sean Strickland revealed that Pereira would be in his corner for his rematch against du Plessis, claiming the Brazilian "hates" the South African fighter "for some reason."
However, du Plessis has brushed off Strickland's comments, saying he doesn't believe Pereira actually hates him, even if the two have never spoken. In fact, du Plessis expressed great respect for Pereira, calling him "one of the greatest combat athletes" in history.
Looking ahead, du Plessis' focus is on his upcoming title fight against the heavily favored Chimaev at UFC 319 next month. Renowned manager Ali Abdelaziz has predicted a dominant victory for Chimaev, saying the Chechen fighter can "beat anyone on any given day" and may replicate his decisive win over Robert Whittaker.
