He didn’t make it look pretty, but there is no doubt that Dricus Du Plessis is the best Middleweight in the world. 

This Saturday, at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, Dricus Du Plessis completed his first title defense against longtime champion Israel Adesanya in a fantastic main event for the Middleweight Championship of the world.

It wasn’t easy, as the always game Adesanya found openings in Du Plessis’s striking defense throughout the fight, but in playing to his strengths, a great grappling attack and stellar cardio, Dricus was able to grind the fight out and find the opening he needed to win.

Du Plessis remains a fascinating fighter to observe because of his ability to look unpolished and sloppy while beating everybody put in front of him. In the second round it looked like Du Plessis’s battle tested cardio was waning, but in the 3rd and 4th rounds he suddenly gained a second wind. Despite throwing wild combos, and falling flat on his face at one point, Dricus somehow gained a favorable position through every one of his mishaps, and in the end he would finish Adesanya after dragging him to the ground and locking in a rear naked choke.

I cannot say enough how impressive Du Plessis looked in this fight … Not from a technical standpoint, but from his sheer toughness and grit. Next up for the champ will be a rematch with Sean Strickland or potentially the winner of Robert Whittaker vs Khamzat Chimaev.

Kai Kara France kills Erceg’s hype train in the co-main event.

After coming off a very close split decision loss to champion Alexandre Pantoja, rumors circulated about Steve Erceg being the future of the Flyweight division, since he came up just one judges scorecard away from the championship. Kai Kara-France, coming off a year layoff from the sport, was primed and ready to deliver an upset, and boy did he.

After taking the majority of the first round to find his range against the taller Erceg, Kara-France found what he was looking for when he delivered an overhand left that dropped his opponent, following up with hook that sealed him the fight and a performance bonus. The New Zealand native may be primed for a title eliminator fight next, depending on how the UFC plans to handle Alexandre Pantoja’s next title defense.

Dan Hooker gets his win in the fight of the night. 

The narrative going into the Lightweight clash between Dan Hooker and Mateusz Gamrot was centered on if Hooker would be able to stimy the grappling game of Gamrot, and if Gamrot would be able to find success striking against one of the divisions best. Both sides of the narrative held true to an extent, but Hooker’s more so …

Gamrot did look improved in the striking department, although he was dropped in the first round by Hooker, as in the case in over 50% of his fights, but it was Hooker’s ability to stuff takedowns and get off the ground when on bottom that made the difference in this fight, as he went on to win a close split decision.

Hooker will find himself as a top five Lightweight for the first time in years, and its a matchmakers dream to decide who and where he fights next.

Also on the card: 

• Scorecard judge Howie Booth was relieved of his duties midway through the event after scoring all three rounds for Tai Tuivasa against Jarzinho Rozenstruik, in what may be the most egregious scorecard in the sports history.
• Carlos Prates continues to surge in the Welterweight division after being the first man to finish Li Jingliang, notching a performance bonus to go with it.
• Controversy marred Valter Walkers win over Junior Tafa, who’s audible reaction to Walker’s heel hook submission was counted as a fight ending tap out.

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