Dricus du Plessis Faces Pressure From Brendan Allen

Dricus du Plessis finds himself in the crosshairs of multiple contenders as the former UFC middleweight champion plots his next move. The South African star is being publicly called out by Brendan Allen, while his own coach is advocating for a third fight with Sean Strickland. Meanwhile, du Plessis himself has opened the door to settling an old score with Roberto Soldic, creating a complex web of potential matchups for 2027.

Brendan Allen demands du Plessis 'drop his nuts' for grudge match

Brendan Allen's callout of Dricus du Plessis has escalated from a simmering rivalry to a public ultimatum. After securing a rear-naked choke submission victory over Christian Leroy Duncan at UFC Vegas 122 on October 10, 2026, Allen made his intentions crystal clear. He accused du Plessis of stalling and challenged him to accept the fight. "Yeah, if he drops his nuts," Allen told reporters. "It's all talk from his side all the time. I've been waiting to sign the contract." Allen, now on a four-fight win streak and ranked No. 5 in the UFC's official rankings, believes this is the logical next step for both men. He pointed to their past history of agreeing to fight and their personal differences as reasons the bout makes sense.

Coach Morne Visser makes case for Strickland trilogy

While Allen clamors for a shot, du Plessis's head coach, Morne Visser, has a different priority. Visser is actively campaigning for his fighter to secure a third bout with Sean Strickland. Du Plessis holds two victories over Strickland in UFC middleweight title fights, but lost the belt to Khamzat Chimaev. The coach's push 2026, suggests the team views a definitive trilogy as a clear path back to championship contention. This creates an interesting conflict, with an active contender in Allen demanding a fight and the champion's camp looking toward a familiar rival instead.

Du Plessis welcomes Soldic trilogy after UFC debut

Adding another layer to his future options, Dricus du Plessis has expressed openness to a trilogy fight with Roberto Soldic. Soldic made a successful UFC debut at welterweight, winning by unanimous decision at UFC 332 on October 3, 2026. The two fighters are tied at 1-1 from their time in KSW, where they traded finishes for the welterweight title in 2018. Du Plessis acknowledged Soldic's skill but noted the Croatian would need to move up to middleweight for the fight to happen. "If he gets a couple of wins and says, 'Okay, let's do a middleweight fight.' I think that would be amazing," du Plessis said. This potential superfight offers a lucrative alternative storyline outside the immediate title picture.

Allen's 2027 goal: 'dog walk' du Plessis, then a title shot

Brendan Allen has outlined a specific and ambitious plan for the coming year. His stated goal for 2027 is to fight du Plessis in the first quarter, dominate him, and then sit as the undeniable number one contender. "Dog walk him, and then just sit and wait for my shot because at that point no one has earned it over me if I do that," Allen said prior to his fight with Duncan. He views a decisive win over the former champion as the final piece of evidence needed to secure a shot at the UFC middleweight title. Allen's confidence is sky-high after his recent performances, and he is positioning a fight with du Plessis as the ultimate proving ground.

• Brendan Allen submitted Christian Leroy Duncan at UFC Vegas 122 on October 10, 2026, and immediately called for a fight with Dricus du Plessis.
• Du Plessis's coach, Morne Visser, is pushing for a third fight against Sean Strickland as the next logical step.
• Du Plessis is open to a third fight with Roberto Soldic, but it would require Soldic to move up to middleweight.

The middleweight division is heating up with several compelling narratives. Du Plessis sits at the center, with a former rival returning to the promotion, a hungry top-five contender issuing direct challenges, and his own team eyeing a specific path back to gold. His next decision will shape the title landscape for the rest of 2026 and beyond.