Dricus du Plessis: "The most interesting guy in the UFC” - Tom Aspinall lavishes Dricus du Plessis with praise for his fighting ability

Tom Aspinall could not speak more highly of his fellow champion, current king of the middleweight division, Dricus du Plessis. The South African has continued to prove any and all doubters wrong, having established his dominance over a talented 185-pound division.

Du Plessis' uniquely awkward fighting style, combined with the brilliant game planning of his coaching team led by Morne Visser, has seen 'Stillknocks' win all nine of his UFC fights thus far. Furthermore, the middleweight champion is the only fighter to defeat both Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker via finish.

Aspinall, who was recently promoted from interim heavyweight champion to undisputed champion following Jon Jones' retirement, appeared on the Ariel Helwani Show. During his appearance, he shared his pick for his favorite fighter in the world right now, saying:

"The most interesting guy in the UFC right now for me, is [Dricus du Plessis], 'cause I don't know what the hell he's going to do. Usually I can watch guys fight and I can get a feel for what the plan of attack is and the strategy and what they're gonna do and the way they're gonna move. With DDP, it's just a complete mystery. The more I watch him, the less I understand him, and I think it's fascinating. As a fan and a person who's got an MMA brain, it's fascinating for me. I can't wait for his fight with [Khamzat Chimaev]."

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Check out Tom Aspinall's comments on Dricus du Plessis below (1:10:30):

Tom Aspinall believes Ilia Topuria will be the "future of MMA"

Ilia Topuria will compete against Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 on June 28 for the vacant lightweight title. Like Dricus du Plessis, 'El Matador' is currently undefeated in the UFC, holding an 8-0 record. He has displayed some of the best boxing ever seen in the octagon, and boasts a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt to boot.

According to Tom Aspinall, Topuria is the "future" of the sport. The UFC heavyweight champion recently discussed the Spaniard's skillset during a preview of his UFC 317 clash against Oliveira.

Aspinall said:

"He's got devastating power, a great grappler as well. Links everything together so well, great for the sport. Obviously, a Georgian/Spanish guy so he's mixing up nationalities. For me, he's the future of MMA. He's the next step, if you like."

Check out Tom Aspinall's comments on Ilia Topuria below (4:55):

About the author

Liam is a MMA and Boxing writer at Sportskeeda. His journey into MMA journalism began with a high school diploma in 2017, but his passion for writing led him to diverse experiences, including internships in research and writing roles and accounting work.

Liam's fascination with MMA was sparked by Conor McGregor, with Dustin Poirier's bout against Dan Hooker in 2020 sealing his love for the sport. Poirier remains Liam's favorite fighter, whom he admires for his attitude, fighting style, and persona both inside and outside the cage. He is an advocate for the removal of the 12-6 elbow rule in MMA.

Liam strives to report precise and relevant information by cross-checking his work, reaching out to relevant sources for comments, and adhering to Sportskeeda's guidelines. His work has been recognized on popular MMA platforms, with his article headlines featuring in YouTube recaps and appearing onscreen during an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience.

Outside of work, Liam enjoys playing cricket, practising Brazilian jiu-jitsu, cooking, music, and reading.

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Edited by C. Naik