Dricus du Plessis backed up all of his talk at UFC 305 after a week of hostility in Perth between himself and the former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya was settled.
The two fighters had engaged in a brutal back and forth outside the cage for months as their rivalry steadily built until they finally met at a sold-out RAC Arena.
After initially dethroning Sean Strickland to claim the belt, the South African extended his current winning streak to 10 bouts with a fourth-round submission victory via rear naked choke over Adesanya.
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"I've never had a boring fight and I don't plan to have one now," du Plessis declared ahead of the meeting with Adesanya.
The pair had been on a collision course since the South African edged a narrow victory out over Strickland in January.
Adesanya was in the crowd that night at UFC 297 and later claimed it was his destiny to face du Plessis for the belt he used to have a mortgage on.
However, he ran into the same problems that Strickland and Robert Whittaker had when facing the bullish middleweight.
Despite appearing to have the measure on a tiring du Plessis in the third and fourth rounds, Adesanya simply came unstuck under the relentless pressure.
If he wasn't waging forward with a flurry of looping punches or trying to let off a high kick, du Plessis was shooting for a takedown.
"He became a bit predictable," Adesanya contended post-fight.
Yet he got the job done once again when he caught the challenger cold by the fence before getting his back and executing a choke to retain his belt at the first time of asking.
"It feels incredible," du Plessis said.
"People say you're not a champion until you defend the belt - bulls--. You're a champion when you win the belt.
"I went out there tonight to fight for the belt and I won it again."
Before the two had even squared off though, Dana White confirmed the winner would take on Strickland.
However, current light heavyweight and former middleweight champion Alex Pereira has also emerged as a potential opponent after declaring his interest on social media.
"What do I want next? Whatever they give me," du Plessis said.
"I honestly don't think Pereira will drop down. But if he does, then the excuses will come about having to cut weight.
"Izzy stiffened that man (at UFC 287). If he comes in, he will not be able to face me."
Du Plessis noted how he was happy to have a rematch with Strickland while eyeing a future bout with Periera – but on his terms.
"Strickland is the next fight if that's what the people want," du Plessis said.
"I'll come up to 205lbs (to face Pereira) after the Strickland fight."
Although he named Whittaker as the most deserving contender out of everyone for the next shot at him.
"Whittaker deserves the shot and I think he's been looked over," du Plessis said.
"He beat Paulo Costa in a more impressive way than Strickland and then was willing to face Khamzat Chimaev.
"He's getting the short end of the stick, unfortunately. But that's not on me."