Dricus Du Plessis plans to stick to his own strategy when he steps into the Octagon for a rematch with Sean Strickland.
Du Plessis is gearing up for his second middleweight title defense as he takes on former foe Strickland in the main event of UFC 312. The highly anticipated showdown is set to electrify the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia, on Feb. 8.
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The upcoming bout marks a highly anticipated rematch between the two rivals, who first collided at UFC 297 in January 2024. On that night, “Stillknocks” edged out a grueling split decision to claim the 185-pound title, dethroning Strickland in the process.
Their first encounter was a brutal, stand-and-bang affair, and “Tarzan” is determined to keep it that way for their rematch at UFC 312.
In a promotional video released earlier this month, Strickland called on Du Plessis to “be a f**king man” and maintain the striking war for their second showdown.
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Sean Strickland wants to make a stand and bang pact with DDP. No takedowns. No grappling. Just striking.
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During a recent interview with FOX Sports Australia, Du Plessis fired back at Strickland’s challenge, emphasizing that he’s far from one-dimensional. He pointed out that he thrives on versatility, adapting his style to the situation at hand, and isn’t afraid to mix things up inside the Octagon.
“Look, it’s a ridiculous thing to ask,” Du Plessis said.” If you want to make pacts about us just standing up, go do boxing. I don’t go into fights thinking I have to stand up or take the guy down. I do what the situation tells me to do. That’s what MMA fighters do. I’m comfortable everywhere.”
However, the 31-year-old South African champion went on to say that he anticipates the rematch will be another striking battle, and he’s thoroughly ready to dominate the striking exchanges.
“100 percent, I think we are most likely going to keep it standing. I know I have the cardio, I know I can push him back and I know I have the power to knock him out. So for me, that’s great. Then, if the opportunity comes to get a takedown, it’s a decision you have to make immediately. If you see the moment, you take it.”
“Stillknocks” is riding high after securing a fourth-round submission victory over former longtime champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 this past August, successfully retaining his title. With that impressive win, Du Plessis extended his perfect UFC record to an undefeated 8-0.
Meanwhile, Meanwhile, Strickland has stepped into the Octagon just once since losing his title, securing a hard-fought split decision victory over Paulo Costa at UFC 302 in June 2024. He currently boasts a 16-6 record in the UFC.