WATCH: "I was wrong" - Anthony Smith offers Dricus Du Plessis a sincere apology after giving the South African "no chance at all"

Former UFC title contender Anthony Smith extended an apology to Dricus Du Plessis following his previous dismissal of the undefeated middleweight's chances against Robert Whittaker.

Du Plessis solidified his position as the No.1 contender in the middleweight division by delivering a sensational second-round TKO victory over former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 this past Saturday. This remarkable triumph propelled 'Stillknocks' into the spotlight, positioning him as a formidable challenger for the current champion, Israel Adesanya.

During a recent episode of the Believe You Me podcast with Michael Bisping, 'LionHeart' graciously acknowledged his misjudgment of Dricus Du Plessis' abilities, publicly giving credit where it was due:

"I'll just come out and say it, I owe Dricus Du Plessis an apology. I gave him no chance at all I gave him no shot and yeah and to be fair nobody did, I don't think anybody did but I'll be man enough to sit here and say I was wrong."

Despite his apology, Anthony Smith expressed his belief that Robert Whittaker remains a more skilled fighter than Du Plessis, regardless of his recent loss:

"I don't think that my analysis at the beginning was necessary. I still think that if we're just talking technique-for-technique, I think Whittaker is probably a little bit more skilled and more polished."

Check out Smith's comment below (from 21:55):

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What did Bo Nickal say about a probable challenge from Dricus du Plessis?

Both Dricus Du Plessis and Bo Nickal made a resounding impact following their sensational victories at UFC 290.

'Stillknocks' has made a significant impact in the UFC, with a track record of finishing five out of his six fights inside the octagon. He has achieved three consecutive stoppage victories against opponents such as Darren Till, Derek Brunson, and Robert Whittaker. Du Plessis has extended his current winning streak to 6-0 in the UFC.

In a recent interview with Full Send MMA, Nickal expressed his admiration for Du Plessis' performance and contemplated the possibility of a matchup between the two fighters:

"Hats off to him. I feel like I respect Whittaker a lot. He’s such a tough dude. But yeah, he got it done. That’s a fight that I’ll have eventually, I’m sure. I don’t know that he beats the champion, but you know, I’m sure we’ll fight and I think that’s easy money for me."

Check out Nickal's comment below (from 1:33):