Dricus Du Plessis: ‘There Will Be No Doubt That I’m The Best In The World’

After a narrow win against Sean Strickland of Anaheim, California (29-6) for the UFC middleweight title over a year ago, Dricus Du Plessis of Welkom, South Africa (22-2) intends to erase all doubt when they meet in a rematch to headline UFC 312 Saturday at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. Du Plessis will seek to make his second consecutive title defense, while Strickland aims to settle “unfinished business.”

“His (Strickland) fight style doesn’t have any effect on how I fight,” said Du Plessis, during UFC 312 Media Day. “I’m going out there to do what I do. And do it as the world champion, the best in the world. And he’s going to be the best Strickland in the world. And we’re gonna see who’s best is the best. ”

A New Threat At Middleweight Emerges In Du Plessis

“Stillknocks” has quickly taken the UFC’s middleweight division by storm, with an eight-fight winning streak since he joined the promotion in 2020. It took Du Plessis just two rounds to secure a TKO win against former undisputed UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker of Auckland, New Zealand (27-8) at UFC 290 in July 2023. The victory earned him the Performance of the Night bonus, along with a title shot.

The native of South Africa went on to become the new UFC middleweight champion with a split decision win against Strickland at UFC 297 in January 2024. As “Tarzan” landed 183 total strikes compared to Du Plessis’ 140 strikes, along with tight scorecards from the judges, Strickland was left with a bitter taste in defeat.

Only one judge had Strickland up 48-47, while the other two judges scored the fight 48-47 in favor of Du Plessis.

“I didn’t get lucky, I wasn’t gifted a belt,” said Du Plessis. “I fought for five rounds. Twenty-three minutes forward, in a twenty-five minute fight warrants a win. That’s the guy who’s trying to fight, not the guy who’s trying to point.”

In a turning point of the championship fight, Strickland’s vision took a huge toll from a heavy bleeding cut above his left eye in the fourth round. Though the cut was a result of a right elbow from Du Plessis, The Anahiem-bred Strickland has pointed out to a clash of heads as the cause behind the blood. 

“It was a right hand, I remember it in the fight seeing it,” said Du Plessis. “I remember in the fight I was throwing the right hand. And I could see the blood coming from his eye the first time. And I caught him on the exact same eye many times. You can watch the fight back. How many times I caught him in that exact eye. And the blood started pouring. That was no head butt.”

Two-Division UFC Champion? The Best of Both Worlds

Du Plessis is coming off a fourth-round submission victory in his first title defense against another former UFC middleweight champion in Israel Adesanya of Lagos, Nigeria (24-5) at UFC 305 last August. With just one close decision win in his current run in the UFC, the reigning champion is ready to prove that there was no fluke in his first meeting with Strickland.

The first South African champion in UFC history is currently ranked number seven on the UFC’s men’s pound-for-pound rankings. With a possible move up to light heavyweight in his sights, Du Plessis wants to first clarify that he is “the greatest middleweight on this planet.”

“This is the toughest fight of my life coming up,” said Du Plessis. “And I’m ready for that because I’m an apex predator. And he’s (Strickland) in my area right now. We’re gonna go to that dark place from the woods, get go. And we’ll see who comes out. And I can’t wait for that because even if this fight goes to a decision again, it will be an all-out war. And there will be no doubt that I’m the best in the world.”