UFC 297: Narrow Dricus Du Plessis Win Should Set Up Israel Adesanya Grudge Match

Dricus Du Plessis is the new UFC middleweight champion, and all signs now point to a blockbuster showdown with the division's former king, Israel Adesanya.

South Africa's Du Plessis got his long-awaited shot at the title in the main event of Saturday's UFC 297 card in in the blustering cold of Toronto, where he took on popular champion Sean Strickland in a fight that generated quite a bit of buzz ahead of time.

It was a razor-close contest, with Du Plessis favoring takedowns and lobbing power shots, and Strickland working behind his trademark jab, but after five rounds, by which point both men were leaking blood, Octagon announcer Bruce Buffer crowned the South African the new champion.

"This is history," Du Plessis said in his post-fight interview with commentator Daniel Cormier.

Du Plessis' win was the source of immediate debate on social media, with many fans arguing Strickland did enough to get the decision, but the new champion's win was by no means a travesty. After 25 minutes, he had succeeded on 6 of 11 takedown attempts, and while he was out-landed by a 183-140 margin, seemed to land the harder strikes overall.

He certainly drew more blood than his foe.

"I could feel it was a close fight," he told Cormier when asked about the judges' decision. "I felt the three first three rounds were give and take, but those last two rounds were mine.

"I had a point to prove," he added, referencing the widespread perception that Strickland would have the advantage in the back half of the fight. "Who said I'm not a five-round fighter?"

After his title win in Toronto, Du Plessis will head back to South Africa, where he still lives and trains, to enjoy the fruits of his labor with his friends, family and countrymen. Before long, though, the champion will need to start considering the options for his first title defense – and there are plenty.

Strickland arguably deserves a rematch – and briefly called for the chance to "run it back" in his own post-fight interview with Cormier. Khamzat Chimaev is also in the title conversation and would make a high-profile dance partner for the new champ, even though he doesn't deserve the opportunity, having yet to beat a ranked middleweight.

Of all the options available, however, the biggest is clearly a showdown with former champion Israel Adesanya.

Adesanya defeated the likes of Alex Pereira, Robert Whittaker, Jared Cannonier, Robert Whittaker, Paulo Costa and Yoel Romero throughout his two title reigns as middleweight champion. Yet in his most recent fight, at UFC 293 last September in Australia, the once-dominant champion suffered a shock decision loss to Strickland and has not been seen since.

Interestingly, the opportunity to challenge Adesanya for the title last September was originally supposed to go to Du Plessis and was only offered to Strickland when the South African couldn't commit to the date of the Australian card.

At that time, he and Adesanya shared one of the fiercest rivalries in all of MMA, which started with some venomous trash talk, and culminated with a heated face-off in the Octagon, after Du Plessis clinched his title shot with an upset win over Whittaker.

Their fight would have been massive had it occurred in September. Strickland spoiled that plan with his shocking defeat of Adesanya, but the stage is once again set for a showdown between the two Africa-born stars, and it's arguable it will be even bigger now.

After all, Du Plessis is not just the UFC middleweight champion, but the face of MMA in South Africa — a country with a long but quiet history in the sport, as the home of promotions like Extreme Fighting Championship and fighters like talented Don Madge and Bokang Masunyane. The fight-crazed fans in the country will support their champion no matter who he fights next, but nothing will generate quite the same buzz as a clash with Adesanya.

Not only does Adesanya remain the biggest star in the middleweight division — and one of the biggest stars in MMA period — but his next fight will have the added drama of a comeback story. We all want to know if Strickland caught him on a bad night or if, perhaps, he is finally slowing down, after a legendary career that has seen him win major titles in kickboxing and MMA.

Throw his rivalry with Du Plessis, which is seemingly still simmering even if they've both been distracted by Strickland for the last six months, and this seems like the fight to make.

After his war with Strickland, Du Plessis is unlikely to be ready for the landmark UFC 300 card in April, which is still in dire need of a big-ticket main event, but a potential fight with Adesanya will generate massive interest no matter when it happens.

It could even be the fight that marks the UFC's long debut on the African continent, whether it occurs in South Africa, Nigeria, or elsewhere.

One way or the other, it seems like the kind of fight that would draw Adesanya back to the Octagon, and it certainly seems to be the one the new champion wants.

"There's another guy that's been trying to steal my shine," he said at the end of his post-fight interview with Cormier. "Israel Adesanya, get your ass back in the UFC so we can settle the score."

After Du Plessis' gutsy defeat of Strickland – his ninth victory in a row – who are we to deny him?