Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis are set for a rematch at UFC 312 for the middleweight strap. Photo: Photosport
The UFC middleweight title is on the line in Sydney on Sunday.
UFC 312
Du Plessis vs Strickland
Main card from 4pm, Sunday February 9
Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney.
Live blog updates on RNZ
It's time to run it back.
Just over a year since Dricus Du Plessis dethroned Sean Strickland for the middleweight crown, the pair return to the octagon to once again decide the king of the 185 pounders.
The first clash turned into an absolute war over five rounds at UFC 297 in Toronto, Du Plessis earning a razor thin split decision win to steal the strap. He has since defended against New Zealand's Israel Adesanya, submitting the Last Stylebender in round four with a face crank in August of last year. The outspoken Strickland meanwhile earned his rematch courtesy of a lacklustre but ultimately victorious performance against Paulo Costa in June. Both men promise blood will be spilled as 'Still Knocks' and 'Tarzan' do battle once again.
About the fighters
Dricus 'Stillknocks' Du Plessis - champion.
Record - 22 wins 2 losses
Age - 31
Height - 6ft (1.83m)
Weight - 185lbs (84kgs)
Reach - 76 inches (193cm)
Fighting style - A puzzle that just can't seem to be solved. Defying all conventional striking techniques, Du Plessis' awkward blitzing style was scoffed at early in his UFC run, until victim after victim continued to fall to his power. Ultimately it doesn't matter how you land them, if you can shut the lights off the way Du Plessis can, finesse in not needed. Primarily a kickboxer, the South African is also an adept wrestler and grappler, 11 of his wins coming by way of submission.
Personality - Du Plessis has garnered a reputation of one of the coldest trash talkers in the game. Though well-liked and respected by the community, Du Plessis is capable of serious venom on the mic, breaking both Strickland and Adesnaya in the lead up to their title fights. He reduced Adesnaya to tears after attacking the Nigerian-born former champion's upbringing in Africa, and enraged Strickland by citing the physical abuse he suffered as a child at the hands of his father.
Sean Strickland - challenger
Record - 29 wins 6 losses
Age - 33
Height - 6ft 1in (1.85m)
Weight - 185lbs (84kgs)
Reach - 76 inches (193cm)
Fighting style - In stark contrast to Du Plessis' wild windmilling, Strickland fights with one of the most simplistic styles in the game, but its effectiveness is never questioned. Strickland's sound defence is built around a guard which sees him able to walk forward and effortlessly parry punches. Often touted as boring, Strickland pieces up opponents with his jab while keeping them on the back foot with front kicks.
Personality - Unapologetically brash, Strickland has been a lightning rod for controversy for his views on everything from women to race. Having embraced a bigoted belief system growing up due to his grandfather's influence, Strickland has since denounced the hate crimes he committed in his youth. However, he's consistently attacked the LGBTQIA+ community at several press conferences and questioned the need for women in the sport. Strickland is both loved and despised by the public.
The rivalry - The pair came to blows cageside at UFC 296, sitting just one row apart. Trading verbal barbs and hand gestures, Strickland proceeded to tell the children in the row separating the middleweights to step aside as he lunged toward Du Plessis and a brawl ensued. Things got even more personal at the press conference when Du Plessis said to Strickland: "You think your dad beat the s*** out of you? He has nothing on me. Every childhood memory you have is going to come flooding back." Strickland responded with a message on social media, warning Du Plessis that should he bring up his childhood again, Strickland would stab him.
South Africa's Dricuc Du Plessis (L) and New Zealand's Israel Adesanya fight in their men's middleweight division event of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 305 at the Perth Arena in Perth on 18 August 2024. Photo: COLIN MURTY / AFP
Who did they most recently fight?
Du Plessis' first title defence was a serious test for the South African, as he came up against the man who ruled the division for six years, managing to force Adesnaya to tap out for the first time in his career. The title fight came at UFC 305 in August last year, and after weathering some slick striking from Adesanya, eventually cracked his chin which he followed up with a barrage to the side of the head as Adesanya retreated. Swarming on his wobbled opponent, Du Plessis dragged Adesanya to the mat and locked in a face crack, forcing the tap and earning the first successful defence fo his reign.
Strickland's last outing was a forgettable one. He would fight former title challenger Paulo Costa at UFC 302 in June. With neither man looking for anything but a stand-up war, fans were salivating at the prospect of these middleweight monsters meeting, excitement which went into overdrive as Strickland promised a vicious and bloody battle. However, what ensued was a five-round snoozer, Strickland waiting until the final ten seconds before throwing some offence that wasn't a straight jab or front body kick.
What are they saying?
Du Plessis - "Finishing this fight is what I am going to do. It won't be going to the fifth. Losing is not an option. I have a whole nation backing me. We are built different. I'm going to die trying, that's the only way."
Strickland - "Look at his face after our last fight. It looked like he got a sledgehammer to it. I thought I won. But here we are again. I'm going to try and knock his ass out. That man has a brick for a head, I'm going to try and break the brick, but really I think it's going to be a five round war."
What will happen?
Du Plessis warns he is an even more evolved fighter than the one who first took the title in Toronto and saw off the challenge of Adesanya. Strickland is a firm underdog for the rematch, though it wouldn't be the first time he could pull off a shocking upset in Sydney should he get the win. As dangerous as Du Plessis is in the striking department, Strickland's defence is rock solid and requires something special to break through.
Prediction - Du Plessis by majority decision.
Who else is on the card?
The Sydney card will also see strawweight gold on the line in the co-main as champion Zhang Weili (25-3) puts her belt on the line against Tatiana Suarez (11-0). Suarez is unbeaten in her career but has had a frustrating time of late, with two bouts in 2024 cancelled. Before the championship bouts, New Zealand-born heavyweight Justin Tafa (7-4-1) will stand and bang with the unbeaten Tallison Teixeira (7-0), making his UFC debut. Kicking things off in the prelims will be City Kick Boxing's Kevin Joussett (10-3) who recently relocated to Aotearoa from France. He takes on Jonathan Micallef (7-1) at welterweight at about 1pm.
Main Card From 4pm NZT
Dricus Du Plessis vs Sean Strickland for the UFC Middleweight Championship
Zhang Weili vs Tatiana Suarez for UFC Strawweight Championship
Justin Tafa vs Tallison Teixeira
Jim Crute vs Rodolfo Bellato
Jake Matthews vs Francisco Prado
Prelims:
Jack Jenkins vs Gabriel Santos
HyunSung Park vs Nyamjarhal Tumendemberel
Aleksandre Topuria vs Colby Thicknesse
Tom Nolan vs Viacheslav Borshchev
Quillan Salkilld vs Anshul Jubli
Wang Cong vs Bruna Brasil
Jonathan Micallef vs Kevin Jousset
Rongzhu vs Kody Steele
Israel Adesanya takes a right hand from Sean Strickland. UFC 293. Photo: Photosport
