Former UFC champion Robert Whittaker to face Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 290

Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker will face Dricus Du Plessis in a No. 1 contender fight on July 8 at UFC 290, Dana White announced on Friday. 

White revealed that the winner between Whittaker and Du Plessis will serve as the next challenger for champion Israel Adesanya’s 185-pound title later this year. 

Whittaker (24-6) is a dynamic and well-rounded fighter who is known for his exceptional striking, take-down defense and durability. Those skills have helped him earn several victories over top-ranked opponents. The Auckland, New Zealand native first won the middleweight title against Yoel Romero in July 2017 at UFC 213. 

After losing the title to Adesanya in Oct. 2019, Whittaker has been on a mission to reclaim UFC gold, going 5-1 over his last six fights -- with his only loss being to Adesanya in a title rematch. Despite two losses to the current champion, Whittaker has expressed his desire to face Adesanya for a third time and would have that opportunity with a win over rising contender Du Plessis. 

Du Plessis (19-2, 5-0 in UFC) has been dominant since making his UFC debut in Oct. 2020. His resume includes wins over Derek Brunson, Darren Till, Brad Tavares, Trevin Giles and Markus Perez. The 29-year-old is a well-rounded fighter who possesses an accurate punching style and strong submission skills, with the potential to one day be a UFC champion. With a win over Whittaker, Du Plessis, the No. 6 ranked middleweight, would get his first shot at a UFC title.

Whittaker vs. Du Plessis joins a list of huge fights slated for UFC 290, with Brandon Moreno-Alexandre Pantoja, Jalin Turner-Dan Hooker and Robbie Lawler-Niko Price just a few of the other bouts slated for the card.

UFC 290 is scheduled to take place during International Fight Week at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.