Joe Rogan is all in on the idea of a showdown between two of the UFC’s top champions.
The longtime UFC commentator recently shared his enthusiasm for a potential fight between middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis and light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. Though still in the realm of speculation, this matchup seems increasingly possible as both champions have hinted at wanting to face each other after Du Plessis’ first title defence at UFC 305 last weekend.
Du Plessis successfully defended his middleweight title against Israel Adesanya, a two-time champion and the only man to have defeated Pereira in the UFC. In a hard-fought battle, Du Plessis endured four intense rounds before securing a submission victory, retaining his title in the process.
Joe Rogan Weighs In on Possible Alex Pereira vs. Dricus Du Plessis Showdown
“Dricus is a f****** animal,” Rogan said on his JRE Fight Companion podcast, as quoted by MMA Fighting. “Very awkward, no quit, big power, super durable. Takes a great shot. Amazing heart. I mean, he got pieced up. He rocked [Adesanya]… you can’t count that guy out.”
Following his win, Du Plessis received a call-out from Pereira, who expressed his willingness to drop back down to middleweight to reclaim the title he once held. Du Plessis responded by suggesting that the fight could take place at light heavyweight instead, where he would aim to become a two-division champion.
Rogan, for his part, is intrigued by the prospect of Du Plessis stepping up to 205 pounds to face Pereira.
“He could definitely go to 205,” Rogan said, considering Du Plessis’ potential move to light heavyweight. “Wouldn’t you love to see him try? He can take a shot, for sure. But, can you take a shot from [Pereira] and can you take a shot from that guy at 205? Because that guy at 205 puts everybody night-night. Everybody goes night-night.”
Du Plessis’ Success in the UFC
Du Plessis has been on an unstoppable run in the UFC’s middleweight division, with no losses at that weight class in his professional career. His only defeat came by knockout, but that was outside the UFC. On the other hand, Pereira has proven to be a knockout artist, rarely letting his fights go to the judges’ scorecards. In his last three fights, Pereira scored knockout victories against top contenders Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka.
Though Pereira is currently scheduled to face Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307, Rogan is clearly excited about the possibility of a future matchup between him and Du Plessis. Rogan, who usually sticks to commentating for U.S.-based UFC events, hinted that he might be willing to travel abroad if this super-fight becomes a reality.
“If Dricus goes up to 205 and fights Alex, oh my goodness. I’ll fly to the moon to commentate that fight. I want to see that fight. That’s crazy,” Rogan exclaimed.
Rogan’s enthusiasm for this matchup reflects the excitement that many UFC fans would likely share. A clash between Du Plessis and Pereira would bring together two champions with very different fighting styles and records, making it a highly anticipated event.
Do you think we see Dricus du Plessis vs. Alex Pereira? Does Joe Rogan have a valid point? Let us know in the comments!
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images and Embed from Getty Images
