South African fighter Dricus du Plessis is just one win away from a UFC title shot. With Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira’s middleweight rivalry now subsiding, a fresh face in the form of du Plessis could step up as a contender. However, he must first beat Robert Whittaker on July 8 in UFC 290, a tough task as the latter’s only loss in the past 14 fights came against Adesanya.

UFC lightweight Dan Hooker felt that du Plessis possibly had an opportunity to secure a title shot without fighting Whittaker, perhaps by beating Sean Strickland instead. Nevertheless, with a flawless record so far, du Plessis has the chance to continue his UFC winning streak with a victory over Whittaker, although a missed opportunity lies in his previous animosity with Adesanya. Meanwhile, Hooker himself will return to action on the same night as Whittaker vs. du Plessis, taking on Jalin Turner.