January 31, 2025 3:30 pm ET
Dricus Du Plessis doubts Alex Pereira will probably be of any assist for Sean Strickland at UFC 312.
Gentle heavyweight champion Pereira will probably be in Strickland’s (29-6 MMA, 16-6 UFC) nook when he challenges middleweight champion Du Plessis (22-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) within the Feb. 8 important occasion at Qudos Financial institution Enviornment in Sydney (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN2, ESPN+).
Du Plessis had a witty response when requested about Pereira flying to Australia to help Strickland.
“He was within the nook within the first combat, too,” Du Plessis informed CBS Sports. “I imply, they don’t even converse the identical language. It doesn’t actually make it a lot of a distinction. Strickland might barely perceive his personal coach, who’s additionally American – how is he going to grasp Alex Pereira?”
Du Plessis edged out Strickland by split decision of their first title combat at UFC 297. He expects the tempo to choose up quite a bit sooner of their rematch. “The sensation-out course of was completed,” Du Plessis mentioned. “I feel that’s going to make an enormous distinction, with the ability to push the combat early on figuring out that I’ve the five-round, full velocity in me. I confirmed that within the first combat. In my final combat with (Israel) Adesanya, I confirmed in that fourth spherical I nonetheless have that ending potential, and I nonetheless felt comparatively good. It was the second half of the fourth with Adesanya as properly. The tempo in that combat was one thing loopy, so it was nice. I do know I can do it, and I’m not preventing for my first time for a world title – so it’s completely different.”
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