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Sean Strickland ‘Triggered’ by Dricus du Plessis brawl ahead of UFC 297 fight: ‘You can’t get too emotional’

Sean Strickland triggered by Dricus du Plessis brawl at UFC 297 you can't get emotional Undisputed middleweight champion, Sean Strickland’s head coach, Eric Nicksick has admitted his trainee was admittedly “triggered” by his brawl…

Undisputed middleweight champion, Sean Strickland’s head coach, Eric Nicksick has admitted his trainee was admittedly “triggered” by his brawl and pre-fight trash talk with incoming foe, Dricus du Plessis ahead of their UFC 297 title fight – claiming the former cannot allow himself to become too emotional amid the developing rivarly.

Strickland, the current undisputed middleweight champion, is scheduled to make his return to the Octagon at UFC 297 in January, taking on surging promotional-perfect contender, du Plessis in Canada, in his first attempted defense of the divisional title.

Sharing the stage with the Pretoria native ahead of their title fight at a 2024 seasonal press conference earlier this month, Strickland’s childhood and relationship with his late father were the subject of interest from opponent, du Plessis, leading to a tense verbal battle between the duo.

Sean Strickland “triggered” by Dricus du Plessis brawl

However, seated within arm’s reach at UFC 296 on fighter’s row, Strickland jumped du Plessis in the crowd, resulting in a brawl, with the defending middleweight champion escorted backstage afterwards.

And according to Strickland’s head coach, Xtreme Couture mastermind, Nicksick, his student has been “triggered” and affected by the altercation and verbal barbs fired at him.

“There’s two sides to that coin: Sean (Strickland) has no problem saying what he says about everybody else, so people are going to probably poke and say things about him, as well,” Nicksick told MMA Junkie Radio about Sean Strickland. “I think it’s a tough row to [hoe], so you can’t get too emotional about those situations.”

“They are just words, but at the end of the day, I did feel like he (Sean Strickland) was triggered and there was a few days where it just kind of motivated him.”

Who wins at UFC 297: Sean Strickland or Dricus du Plessis?

Upset of the Year – LowKick MMA Awards 2023

Our only unanimous category across the staff this year at LowKick MMA comes in the form of the ‘Upset…

Our only unanimous category across the staff this year at LowKick MMA comes in the form of the ‘Upset of the Year’ award — with each member of staff nomination, in the form of newly-minted undisputed middleweight champion, Sean Strickland’s stunning unanimous decision shutout win over Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 back in September.

Landing his second award from LowKick MMA this year, outspoken middleweight kingpin, Strickland also netted our ‘Fighter of the Year’ accolade — beating out fellow champions, Leon Edwards, and Islam Makhachev, as well as incoming foe, Dricus du Plessis to the award.

And following his spectacular decision win over City Kickboxing star and monumental betting favorite, Adesanya back in September in Oceania, Strickland has been unanimously voted as having landed the ‘Upset of the Year’ in the LowKick MMA 2023 awards.

Upset of the Year – Israel Adesanya (c) vs. Sean Strickland – UFC 293 – (9 votes)

Judged to have nothing more than a puncher’s chance against a far more seasoned and dynamic striking veteran as two-time middleweight pacesetter, Adesanya in there UFC 293 title collision — following Julianna Peña’s stunning upset over Amanda Nunes two years ago, Strickland turned in a victory to rival such an upset success.

Riding a streak of two straight wins over European talents, Nassourdine Imavov, and then Abusupiyan Magomedov into an impromptu title fight with Nigerian-Kiwi striker, Adesanya, it proved right-place-right-time for Strickland — who replaced an injury-stricken du Plessis in the middleweight title frame.

And travelling to Sydney, Australia to take on Adesanya — Strickland’s involvement in the UFC 293 headliner was briefly thrown into jeopardy, after engaging in a physical altercation with an Australian fan during fight week whilst travelling the country with his girlfriend.

Come fight night, a lazar-focused Strickland allowed Adesanya zero space and time to setup any real significant offense, showing early of things to come throughout their five round headliner ‘Down Under’ — finding the former’s chin with a massive straight right, and dropping him to his knees, almost resulting in what would’ve come as a shocking upset finish.

Pushing the pace against an all-out-of-ideas Adesanya for the remainder of the bout, Strickland landed the undisputed middleweight crown — in what will go down as one of the most shocking upset victories in the antiquity of the Octagon.

And fast booking his return to action in a bid to launch his first successful middleweight title defense, Strickland travels to Canada next month to headline UFC 297 — taking on the previously mentioned South African contender, du Plessis in a heated grudge match between the two.

Full List Of The LowKick MMA 2023 Upset Of The Year Votes:

Ross Markey: Sean Strickland
Ian Shutts: Sean Strickland
Murdo Todd: Sean Strickland
Craig Pekios: Sean Strickland
Makoa Goble: Sean Strickland
Tony King: Sean Strickland
Red Pill MMA: Sean Strickland
Michael Owens: Sean Strickland
Danny Podolsky: Sean Strickland

Photo – Sean Strickland shows off ripped physique ahead of UFC 297 grudge title fight with dricus du Plessis

Sean Strickland looks to be in incredible shape ahead of his UFC 297 fight against Dricus Du Plessis. 2023…

Sean Strickland looks to be in incredible shape ahead of his UFC 297 fight against Dricus Du Plessis.

2023 has been an incredible year for Strickland who has completely transformed his career, from controversial contender on a two-fight losing streak to undisputed champion with a growing fanbase.

After upsetting the odds against Israel Adesanya in September a rematch seemed on the cards, but Adesanya opted to take some time away. So, No.1 contender and the original opponent meant for Adesanya for UFC 293, Du Plessis, will now challenge Strickland for the UFC’s middleweight title.

If you had told the average UFC fan at the beginning of 2023 that the next champion would be either Sean Strickland or Dricus Du Plessis, they likely would have laughed. However, come January 20, and after what should be an entertaining clash, one will be declared champion.

Sean Strickland looks in incredible shape

After moving up to middleweight in 2020, a once-weight drained and cut Strickland filled into the weight class and appeared to enjoy not partaking in a drastic weight cut. However, in a recently posted photo, the 32-year-old seems to be in the best shape he has been in since bumping up in weight.

While Strickland has been renowned for his hard work in the gym, but he could also be heading into the bout with added motivation. Beside wanting to keep the title, things turned a little personal between Strickland and Du Plessis after the latter made light of Strickland being abused by his father as a child.

Strickland would reply by calling the south African some homophobic slurs before it all came to a head at the UFC 297 event. After ushering away some nearby children, Strickland leapt at Du Plessis who was stupidly seated right behind him and struck him multiple times. The pair would have to

Who wins, Sean Strickland or Dricus Du Plessis?

Gilbert Burns reveals Sean Strickland’s attack on Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 296 was premeditated

Sean Strickland knew from the moment he stepped into the arena that sh*t was going to go down at…

Sean Strickland knew from the moment he stepped into the arena that sh*t was going to go down at UFC 296.

24 hours following a nasty verbal confrontation between the UFC middleweight champion and his first title challenger, Dricus Du Plessis, the two outspoken standouts engaged in an all-out brawl in the stands at T-Mobile Arena during the promotion’s final pay-per-view event of the year.

Videos of the incident immediately flooded social media and many fight fans were a little skeptical, suggesting that the UFC took a page out of the WWE’s book and staged the incident to help promote January’s first big headliner.

Appearing on the JAXXON podcast, Gilbert Burns, whose family had a front-row seat for the incident, revealed that not only was the brawl real but that Sean Strickland had walked into the building determined to throw hands with ‘Stillknocks’ that night.

“That was my wife and kid,” Burns explained, referring to the people Strickland waved aside before lunging at Du Plessis. “And then when Sean came, he came and then he kind of looked at the guy. I think he’s already like ‘Man sh*t. You brought your wife and your kids,’ and I say yes. And he said, ‘Yeah this fricking guy is right there. I might do stuff with this guy.’

“That was before the fight! When he walked in, he already had the thing in his head. [Strickland said] If I do something, I’ll give you the heads up. Whenever the things start going down, this guy [Strickland] kind of look at me and said, ‘Now!’”

Dana White takes Responsibility for Strickland’s attack on Du Plessis

Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis are scheduled to scrap on January 20 when the promotion returns to PPV for UFC 297. Had either man sustained an injury in the scuffle, those plans could have been put in serious jeopardy. Fortunately, nobody was hurt, but UFC CEO Dana White was willing to take full responsibility for being the “a**hole” that sat the two middleweight stars so close together.

Dana White: What kind of an asshole seats Strickland next to Du Plessis? This asshole.#UFC296 #UFC pic.twitter.com/KMnTaqNg2f

— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) December 17, 2023

“They hit each other a little bit,” Burns added. “People didn’t see that side of the camera. We saw because it was right there. There was kind of a little bit back-and-forth, but it was nothing clean. And then Dana came after the fight, like what happened, did anyone get hurt, anyone need anything? No, nothing happened to anyone. Even those guys, they fought each other” (h/t MMA Mania).

Chael Sonnen scoffs at Strickland – du Plessis ‘Illegally fighting’ in crowd at UFC 296: ‘I don’t like that stuff’

Veteran former title challenger, Chael Sonnen has lambasted both Sean Strickland and incoming championship chaser, Dricus du Plessis for…

Veteran former title challenger, Chael Sonnen has lambasted both Sean Strickland and incoming championship chaser, Dricus du Plessis for brawling in the crowd on fighter row at UFC 296 earlier this month, claiming the pair’s coming together physically had nothing to do with fight promotion.

Chael Sonnen unhappy with Strickland – du Plessis melee at UFC 296

Sonnen, a former undisputed light heavyweight and middleweight title challenger under the banner of the UFC, turned analyst, claimed that while he was not a “prude” – he was not a fan of last weekend’s scuffle between Strickland and du Plessis, which resulted in the defending middleweight champion’s exit from the T-Mobile Arena.

“It’s not as though there wasn’t repercussions – (Sean) Strickland got thrown out,” Chael Sonnen told MMA Fighting. “That’s how security handles these things. There always becomes a question of what level of authority needs to do it, and there seems to be this idea that it needs to be the sport, or the governing body. That gets a little bit strange for me.”

“It’s not as thought that wasn’t dealt with,” Sonnen explained. “But no, I don’t like that stuff. I’m not a prude about it, but that isn’t fight promotion – that’s fighting, and that isn’t sanctioned fighting. That’s illegal fighting. I’m not a prude, but I don’t like when the punches get thrown. You’ve got to be able to have these back and forths, and you get to have a level of honor, and no, I didn’t like that.”

Sharing their respective thoughts on the brawl between fellow middleweights, former champion, Israel Adesanya claimed he was all there for their melee on fighter row, while fan-favorite striker, Robert Whittaker claimed that he believed something appeared fishy about the engagement, speculating that it was pre-planned before UFC 296.

Fighter of the Year – LowKick MMA 2023 Awards

2023 brought with it a multitude of standout performances from some of the most unlikeliest of sources — in…

2023 brought with it a multitude of standout performances from some of the most unlikeliest of sources — in some of the biggest and high-profile fights of the annum, from the likes of middleweight champion, Sean Strickland, welterweight maestro, Leon Edwards, and pound-for-pound star, Islam Makhachev.

However. amid a list of nominations long and varying issues by the staff here at LowKick MMA — the outspoken Sean Strickland has emerged far and ahead as the consensus Fighter of the Year for 2023.

Fighter of the Year – Sean Strickland – UFC – 3-0-0 (4 votes)

Rebounding from a tumultuous 2022 year which included a two-fight losing skid to former title challenger, Jared Cannonier, and two-weight champion, last year’s Fighter of the Year award winner, Alex Pereira — the often-outspoken Strickland turned in a year to remember, including one of the biggest upsets in recent Octagon memory in the final quarter of the year.

Snapping his two-fight skid with a unanimous decision win over the highly-touted, Nassourdine Imavov at the beginning of the year in a short-notice light heavyweight clash, Strickland would seize the opportunity of a first title challenger with a knockout win over Abusupiysan Magomedov.

And shocking the collective mixed martial arts community back in September, Strickland, on would-be hostile terrritory against Oceanic striker, Israel Adesanya — landed a unanimous shutout decision win over the City Kickboxing staple, clinching the promotion’s undisputed middleweight crown.

Booked to make his return in a heated title fight defense against the surging, Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297 at the turn of the year in ‘The Great White North’, Strickland takes the Fighter of the Year award under the LowKick MMA banner this annum.

Honorable Mentions –

Leon Edwards – UFC – 2-0-0 (3 votes)

Rounding off a championship-laden year for himself earlier this month, undisputed welterweight kingpin, Leon Edwards recorded two straight victories by way of decision this year — laying waste to the division’s constant and always challenging guard.

Closing out his trilogy with a rubber match against former pound-for-pound king, Kamaru Usman at UFC 286 back in March on home soil in the UK, Birmingham technician, Edwards landed a majority decision win over the Auchi native — having snatched the throne in August of last year with a immortal high-kick rallying knockout success.

And earlier this month, in a brutal grudge match with former interim champion, Colby Covington, Edwards landed a one-sided unanimous decision win over the aging Clovis challenger, who failed to mount any real significant output offensively.

Islam Makhachev – UFC – 2-0-0 (1 vote)

Closing out his series of fights with undisptued featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski back in October, pound-for-pound number one, Islam Makhachev did so in certain style — showing off his sriking arsenal with a spectacular opening round high-kick KO in the pair’s lightweight title rematch.

The victory followed a prior February back-and-forth with the New South Wales star, in which Makhachev edged a close and egregious decision win on enemy territory.

Dricus du Plessis – UFC – 2-0-0 (1 vote)

Ahead of his championship siege in January against award winner, Strickland, South African challenger, Dricus du Plessis has enjoyed an unbeaten 2-0 run in the UFC this year — continuing in his perfect-promotional winning vein.

Landing on the most impactful victory in what seems likes years in the middleweight ranks, after a TKO stoppage of recent PFL debutante, Derek Brunson, in July, du Plessis landed a stunning second round knockout win over former undisputed middleweight champion and ever-present top-contender, Robert Whittaker, earning him a shot at Strickland’s title belt.

Full list of the LowKick MMA 2023 Fighter of the Year votes:

Ross Markey: Sean Strickland

Ian Shutts: Islam Makhachev

Murdo Todd: Leon Edwards

Craig Pekios: Leon Edwards

Makoa Goble: Sean Strickland

Tony King: Leon Edwards

Red Pill MMA: Dricus du Plessis

Michael Owens: Sean Strickland

Danny Podolsky: Sean Strickland