Dricus Du Plessis has emerged as the surprising yet emphatic gold standard at 185lbs. The South African export has carved a path of destruction, blending relentless pressure, unorthodox striking, and a “whatever it takes to win” philosophy to overwhelm his opponents. With each fight, he proves that he is not just a champion—he is a true force to be reckoned with. His recent performance against Sean Strickland at UFC 312 was a masterclass in itself.

Now standing at the pinnacle of the division, ‘Stillknocks’ is on a mission to cement his legacy. With an unwavering belief in himself and a relentless drive to become the best, he has made it clear that he won’t stop until he becomes the GOAT at 185lbs. Going forward, ‘Stillknocks’ is most likely to defend his strap against Khamzat Chimaev next with the fans waiting for the announcements. However, there’s one more contender according to Sean O’Malley’s coach Tim Welch who could cause a problem for him.

Welch took to his YouTube channel to praise the 40-year-old Jared Cannonier after his impressive victory at UFC Fight Night 251. He believes ‘The Killa Gorilla’ needs to get a few more victories to get a title shot, but feels he can cause a lot of problems for Du Plessis. Welch on his podcast said, “Dude the thing about Jared though he could be a very very hard fight for Dricus. And the way Dricus’s chin kind of comes up in the air. And the way Jared thuds dude and Jared’s good for five rounds too. He’s got crazy cardio too. Man, it just may be one more and they will be talking about him for the title shot.” 

2024 was a tough year for the former middleweight title challenger who suffered back-to-back losses in the division. But 2025 is telling a different story. ‘The Killa Gorilla’ roared back into the win column in dominant fashion, stopping Gregory Rodrigues with a barrage of punches in the fourth round. The 40-year-old has shown interest in fighting Robert Whittaker next and said, “Maybe a Robert Whittaker matchup.” And it seems Michael Bisping also feels it’s the right decision for both fighters.

Michael Bisping gives his green signal to Whittaker vs. Cannonier 2

Jared Cannonier has a few names in mind for his next fight, but he’s not holding his breath. Despite his dominant victory, the seasoned veteran knows that getting the matchups he wants in the UFC’s deep middleweight division is no easy task. While the options are there, turning them into reality is a different challenge altogether.

One such fighter who he wants to fight is Robert Whittaker who is himself looking to make his way back towards title contention. The former champion was last seen in action at UFC 308 where he took on Khamzat Chimaev. However, the fight ended in the first round with ‘Borz’ making easy work of ‘The Reaper’.

After closely watching Cannonier’s recent performance, Bisping feels both fighters will help each other in the division next. For the uninitiated, Bobby Knuckles previously fought Cannonier five years ago at UFC 254, where the Aussie ace secured a unanimous decision victory.

‘The Count’ believes this is the ideal chance for Whittaker to climb his way back into title contention—potentially setting up a rematch with ‘Borz’. He took to his YouTube channel and said, “To beat somebody that he has beaten before. And of course, for Jared Cannonier—at 40 years old—Robert Whittaker is a massive household name in mixed martial arts. So that makes all the sense in the world.”

Meanwhile, Whittaker is focused on recovering from injury and is determined to reinsert himself into the title conversation. ‘The Reaper’ has shared that he’s using this time to refine his skill set, making sure he comes back sharper than ever. Moreover, will the veteran get his hands at Dricus Du Plessis? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!