DRICUS DU PLESSIS teed up a grudge match with Israel Adesanya thanks to a shock second-round TKO victory over Robert Whittaker.
The South African slugger looked to continue his surge up the middleweight ranks against the former champion on a stacked UFC 290 card in Las Vegas on Saturday.
The former EFC welter and middleweight titleholder was a huge underdog going into the biggest fight of his professional MMA career.
But he produced a career-best display to set up what could be an ugly Sydney showdown with The Last Stylebender.
Both men traded leg kicks early doors as they looked to get a feel on one another.