Pay-per-view UFC event heading to Sydney for the first time in more than 12 years… with Aussie champion Robert Whittaker a huge chance of headlining the event with superstar Kiwi Israel Adesanya
- UFC looks set to return to Sydney in late 2023
- Adesanya will fight winner of Whittaker and Du Plessis
- Sydney’s last UFC PPV event was in 2011
Aussie UFC star Robert Whittaker is just one fight away from a title shot against champion Israel Adesanya – and Dana White is planning to host the blockbuster showdown in Sydney.
UFC president White announced on Saturday that Whittaker would take on undefeated South African Dricus du Plessis in a middleweight division No. 1 contender bout.
‘The winner of that fight will fight Adesanya later this year,’ White said in a video posted to social media . ‘And that fight is targeted for Sydney, Australia.’
At this stage, the UFC hasn’t announced a date for the Sydney card which will most likely take place towards the end of the year.
The premier MMA organisation last held a show in Sydney in 2017, but hasn’t held a pay-per-view event in the city since 2011.
Aussie UFC star Robert Whittaker is just one fight away from a title shot against champion Israel Adesanya – and Dana White is planning to host the blockbuster showdown in Sydney
UFC president Dana White announced on Saturday that Whittaker would take on undefeated South African Dricus du Plessis in a middleweight division No. 1 contender bout
There is a huge appetite for the sport Down Under with the recent highly successful UFC 284 event at RAC Arena in Perth breaking stadium attendance records and doing wonders for West Aussie tourism.
Should Whittaker beat Dricus du Plessis in the eliminator, he will face Adesanya for the third time – with the Nigerian reigning titleholder beating him on both occasions.
Du Plessis has won all five of his bouts in the UFC, beating the likes of Darren till and Derek Brunson.
Besides his fights with Adesanya, Whittaker is undefeated at middleweight and relishes a chance at Du Plessis.
‘Well, what a storyline if he beats me,’ the Australian told Fox Sports.
‘He won’t though. But if he wants to try jump the queue, I’ll bash him first.
‘And then there’s nobody left.’
Should Whittaker beat Dricus du Plessis in the eliminator, he will face Adesanya for the third time – with the Nigerian reigning titleholder beating him on both occasions
Du Plessis has won all five of his bouts in the UFC, beating the likes of Darren till and Derek Brunson
Whittaker, who is coming off a dominant decision win over Marvin Vettori, believes he will have Adesanya’s number next time the pair clash.
‘I’m hunting that redemption fight because I know, next time we cross paths, I’m going to beat him,’ he said.
‘And I know that wholeheartedly. Because the puzzle that is Adesanya, it’s taken me to the next level.
‘You saw that in my last fight with Marvin Vettori. And now I’m going to show you (again) how that puzzle has taken me to that next level … by handily beating Adesanya the next time we cross paths.’
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