Brad Tavares vs Dricus Du Plessis — Fight recap

Dricus Du Plessis defeated Brad Tavares by unanimous decision over three rounds on July 2, 2022, with all three judges favoring the South African middleweight. Du Plessis outlanded Tavares 113 to 82 in significant strikes while maintaining a 53% strike accuracy compared to Tavares' 54%, though the volume advantage proved decisive across the fifteen minutes.

Neither fighter secured a takedown—Du Plessis went 0 for 7 while Tavares managed 0 for 1—keeping the bout strictly on the feet where Du Plessis' output and aggression controlled the narrative. Tavares landed cleaner combinations, particularly with his body work (21 of 31), but couldn't overcome Du Plessis' sustained pressure and higher strike totals.

The decision positioned Du Plessis as a rising threat in the middleweight rankings while Tavares faced questions about his competitive level against top-tier opposition.