UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis was left crumpled against the fence after only knockout loss
Dricus du Plessis is known for having an iron chin.
The UFC middleweight champion has never been knocked down during his tenure with MMA's premier promotion despite being nailed flush by big punchers like Derek Brunson and Robert Whittaker.
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However, he wasn't able to stand up to Roberto Soldic's power in October 2018.
Six months prior, Du Plessis had stopped Soldic in the second round at KSW 43 to win the Polish promotion's welterweight title.
But when they ran it back two shows later in London, Soldic returned the favour.
Midway through the third round, Du Plessis was decked by an overhand right and then swarmed on by the Bosnian banger.
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A vicious knee followed by a crisp left hook left Du Plessis crumpled against the cage as the referee stepped in and waved off the fight.
Du Plessis campaigned for a rubber match with Soldic to no avail in the years that followed before eventually joining the UFC in 2020.
He would go on to record six straight wins with the company en route to beating Sean Strickland to become UFC middleweight champion via split decision.
Du Plessis is now set to defend the strap for the first time against fierce rival Israel Adensaya at UFC 305 this weekend.
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The pair have been on a collision course for some time, having gone head-to-head in a racially charged confrontation at UFC 290 in July 2023.
Both men were expected to headline UFC 293 in Sydney last year, but Du Plessis was forced out with a foot injury.
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Fuming at Du Plessis' pull out, Adesanya launched into an X-rated rant on social media.
“I don’t even know how to start this, but ‘Dricus du P****,’ you f****** b****,” Adesanya said in a video shared to his various accounts.
“[Du Plessis said], ‘Oh, all he had to do is put some gloves [on], I was ready to go again.’ No, you weren’t, you’re a b****. That’s why you’re not taking this fight.
Crazy footage reveals Dricus Du Plessis’ head coach using a taser on his fighters if they 'f*** up'
“Your foot’s sore. N*****, my knee was jacked, too, from my last fight. Guess what I did? I showed up because that’s what a f****** champion does. Championship-calibre, built different.
“A lot of you fighters talk about, ‘Oh I’ll fight anyone, anywhere, anytime.’ No, you won’t. I do. Alex Volkanovski does. We’re built different.”
Now, they will finally get to settle their differences at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.
While Du Plessis is gearing up to defend his UFC belt in a blockbuster main event, Soldic is fighting in ONE FC, where it hasn't exactly been going to plan for the 29-year-old.
His debut in December 2022 against Murad Ramazanov was declared a no-contest after Soldic was rendered unable to continue due to an accidental knee to the groin.
Meanwhile, he was TKOd by Zebaztian Kadestam in May last year and hasn't fought since.
Du Plessis is preparing for his fight using some bizarre methods.
Video footage emerged of his coach using a taser during training.
Speaking of his coach, he said: "Not only has Morne Visser helped me evolve and polish me as a fighter, without him I wouldn't be here.
"He's been the only MMA coach that I've ever had, he always says 'Train hard and fight easy'.
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"If you are going to train for that guy, you've got to be a certain type of person.
"There's not one person on earth who can get me ready for a fight like him."
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