Dricus du Plessis plans to prove he’s the ‘biggest dog’ at middleweight by finishing Robert Whittaker at UFC 290

Riding a five-fight win streak since signing with the UFC, Dricus du Plessis is now looking forward to making a statement in his upcoming middleweight bout at UFC 290 against former champion Robert Whittaker.

Exhibiting absolute self-belief and confidence, 'Stillknocks' vowed in an interview with The Schmo that he is going for the kill against 'The Reaper' and isn't looking to "chase decisions." The South African said:

"I'm not going out there to chase decisions. I'm going out there to finish Robert Whittaker. I think it's gonna be a one heck of a fight at the end of the day. He has a lot of dog. I have a lot of dog, and we will see who is the biggest dog. At the end of the day, I know that's me always, every single time."

Robert Whittaker is considered one of the best in the business and is largely seen as the second-best middleweight in the world behind Israel Adesanya. 'The Reaper' was knocked out by Adesanya in their first meeting, but many believe he did enough to win the rematch via decision, but the judges felt otherwise.

Dricus du Plessis is a massive betting underdog heading into his fight against Whittaker. The South African has registered wins over the likes of Darren Till and Derek Brunson in his last two outings, but both performances were far from dominant.

UFC president Dana White has already confirmed that the victor will take on middleweight king Israel Adesanya next.

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Robert Whittaker claims opponents underestimating Dricus du Plessis has contributed to his win streak

Ahead of their scheduled bout at UFC 290, former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker says that he won't underestimate Dricus du Plessis by any means.

At the UFC Vegas 75 post-show where he featured as an analyst, Whittaker was asked why the betting odds and the fans seem to largely favor him in his bout against du Plessis. The Aussie claimed that not only the fans, but du Plessis' previous opponents have underestimated him, which has led to the South African's success so far.

Israel Adesanya will likely return to action at UFC 293, slated for Sydney, Australia, later this year. Whoever wins at UFC 290 between Robert Whittaker and Dricus du Plessis will likely take on the champ in September, provided he doesn't sustain any major injuries in the fight.