February 4, 2025 11:17 pm ET
Dricus Du Plessis is decided to clear up any questions on his first struggle with Sean Strickland in Saturday’s UFC 312 title rematch.
After Du Plessis (22-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) took the middleweight title from Strickland (29-6 MMA, 16-6 UFC) in a debated split decision at UFC 297 in January 2024, the pair will run it again in the principle occasion at Qudos Financial institution Area in Sydney (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN2, ESPN+). Each males are extremely assured they deserved the nod within the first assembly and plan to depart little question within the sequel.
Whereas Strickland, 33, strives to regain the belt he felt “robbed” of 13 months in the past, Du Plessis, 31, appears to be like to shut this chapter of the story. He doesn’t see the controversy across the first outcome, regardless of UFC CEO Dana White claiming he scored it for Strickland.
“For me, the cut up choice was the most important shock to me,” Du Plessis informed reporters at UFC 312 media day. “I didn’t suppose it was a cut up choice. … I’m very blissful that they made this struggle. I used to be asking for this struggle up till the Khamzat (Chimaev) win (over Robert Whittaker) occurred, after which I’d’ve most popular that struggle, however I’m actually blissful this struggle’s occurring as a result of now I can go and say, ‘What are you going to say?’ I’m going to place this to mattress. All of the silly followers who imagine he received that struggle, I can simply exit and put this behind me.
“I didn’t get fortunate. I wasn’t gifted a belt. I fought for 5 rounds ahead. Twenty-three minutes ahead in a 25-minute struggle warrants a win. That’s the man who’s making an attempt to struggle, not the man who’s making an attempt to level.” Though there was a craving from followers for Du Plessis to make his subsequent title protection in opposition to the unbeaten Chimaev, the champion is in the end pleased with the state of affairs. He sees Strickland as a severe risk, and there’s no scarcity of motivation for him on a number of layers.
“I feel Strickland is the perfect middleweight on the earth proper now, behind myself, and he deserves to be right here,” Du Plessis mentioned. “I do know he’s an unimaginable, unimaginable fighter. He’s so good defensively. He’s powerful. He’s laborious to hit and whenever you hit him it doesn’t have that impact as on regular guys. This man is an apex predator. That is the hardest struggle of my life developing, and I’m prepared for that as a result of I’m an apex predator and he’s in my space proper now.
“We’re going to go to that darkish place from the get-go and we’ll see who comes out. And I can’t watch for that as a result of even when this goes to a call once more, it is going to be an all-out warfare and it is going to be little question that I’m the perfect on the earth.”
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