Australian UFC middleweight contender Robert Whittaker is one fight away from another shot at the title and current champion Israel Adesanya.
UFC boss Dana White announced on Instagram on Saturday that Whittaker (24-6) would take on rising contender Dricus du Plessis (19-2) in a title eliminator at UFC 290 as part of International Fight Week in Las Vegas.
“The winner of that fight will fight [Israel] Adesanya later this year,” White said, adding that the UFC is targeting to hold that blockbuster title fight in Sydney.
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It would be the promotion’s first visit to Sydney in six years and the first pay-per-view event to be held in the city since UFC 127 back in 2011.
There has been no date or card officially announced for the Sydney event, but the main event will see Nigerian-born Kiwi Adesanya defend his middleweight crown.
Should that title defence come against Whittaker it will be the third time the pair have met in the octagon, with Adesanya winning both of the previous fights.
First, Adesanya dethroned the Australian at UFC 243 back in 2019 before defending his belt against Whittaker at UFC 271 last year, taking a decision win in Houston.
Speaking to foxsports.com.au’s ‘The Takedown’ this week, Whittaker said he was keen to get another shot at glory against Adesanya whenever their trilogy bout arrived.
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“I’m hunting that redemption fight because I know, next time we cross paths, I’m going to beat him,” Whittaker said.
“And I know that wholeheartedly. Because the puzzle that is Adesanya, it’s taken me to the next level.
“You saw that in my last fight with Marvin Vettori. And now I’m going to show you (again) how that puzzle has taken me to that next level … by handily beating Adesanya the next time we cross paths.”
Standing in the way of Whittaker’s shot at redemption is Du Plessis, who has won seven-straight fights, with the last five coming in the UFC.
Du Plessis, the middleweight division’s No. 8 ranked contender, has finishes over Darren Till (third-round submission) and Derek Brunson (second-round TKO) in his two most recent fights.
Whittaker told foxsports.com.au last week that he wanted du Plessis next as the South African was the “only guy in the top five” that he had not beaten.
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“Well, what a storyline if he beats me,” the Australian grinned.
“He won’t though. But if he wants to try jump the queue, I’ll bash him first.
“And then there’s nobody left.”
As for what other fights make up the UFC 290 card, fellow Australian Alexander Volkanovski will headline the event in his featherweight title unification bout against Yair Rodriguez.
“I’m looking at him as a real challenger, like he’s a dangerous fighter,” Volkanovski told Oscar Willis of TheMacLife.
“He could be one of the [most] dangerous fighters I’ve fought really. When you talk about unpredictability and knockout power and so many different tools, you need to take him really serious.”
Elsewhere, flyweight champion Brandon Moreno takes on Alexandre Pantoja while rising star Bo Nickal faces off with Tresean Gore and Deiveson Figueiredo is scheduled to fight Manel Kape.
White announced two more fights for UFC 290 in his social media message, revealing Robbie Lawler would be up against Niko Price in a welterweight brawl while Jalin Turner and Kiwi Dan Hooker would also square off.
UFC 290 FIGHT CARD
Main Card
Alexander Volkanovski (c) vs Yair Rodriguez — featherweight title unification bout
Brandon Moreno vs Alexandre Pantoja — flyweight title
Bo Nickal vs Tresean Gore
Deiveson Figueiredo vs Manel Kape
Robert Whittaker vs Dricus Du Plessis
Prelims (so far)
Robbie Lawler vs Niko Price
Dan Hooker vs Jalin Turner
