If Sean Strickland proved anything at UFC Houston, it’s that he hasn’t lost a step. Despite the controversy surrounding his pre-fight antics, the former middleweight champion delivered a clinical performance when it mattered most. Relying on his signature jab-heavy pressure and relentless pace, Strickland broke down Anthony Hernandez before sealing a brutal third-round TKO, snapping Hernandez’s eight-fight win streak in emphatic fashion. The victory marked a powerful return for Strickland, who had been out of action since suffering a broken nose in his failed bid to reclaim the title against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 last year.
Now back in the win column and with renewed momentum, ‘Tarzan’ could be positioning himself for a title clash with Khamzat Chimaev, a matchup he’s openly campaigned for after the bout for the Chechen’s first defense. Adding intrigue to the picture, Du Plessis has weighed in with a bold take, suggesting Strickland may have a legitimate shot against Chimaev.
Dricus Du Plessis Believes Sean Strickland’s Ability to Pop Back Up Could Trouble Khamzat Chimaev
For the unversed, Dricus Du Plessis captured the 185-pound crown by defeating Sean Strickland at UFC 297 and later reaffirmed his superiority with a dominant showing in their rematch at UFC 312. However, the South African’s reign came to a crushing halt at UFC 319 against Khamzat Chimaev in one of the most one-sided title fights in recent memory.
Across five rounds, the Chechen standout racked up a staggering 529 significant strikes and amassed more than 21 minutes of control time, overwhelming Du Plessis from bell to bell. Despite that equation, Du Plessis believes Strickland could pose legitimate problems for Chimaev if they were to meet next.
Appearing on The Ariel Helwani Show, Du Plessis said, “That’s interesting because as far as I know, Imavov and Khamzat said they didn’t want to fight each other. You know the UFC doesn’t like that at all. I do think the Strickland fight does make sense.”
He continued, “For me, I don’t want to fight Strickland again unless he’s champion. I do think Strickland would do great against Khamzat. Just his style, I think he would.”
DDP believes Sean Strickland has a better chance against Khamzat Chimaev than Nassourdine Imavov
“Strickland is stronger than people think and his technique to get back to his feet is very good.”
Via @arielhelwani pic.twitter.com/J2IZhv22J9
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) March 3, 2026
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Du Plessis doubled down with a bold assessment, suggesting Strickland may actually have a better chance of dethroning Chimaev than Nassourdine Imavov, who is currently riding a five-fight win streak, including notable victories over Caio Borralho and Israel Adesanya.
He explained, “One hundred percent, I mean, did you see what Strickland did to Imavov? And that striking, of course, is the other thing. Strickland’s ability of when you take him down, to get back up to his feet, he does a very good job at that. When I fought him the first and second time, he’s really good at that.”
The South African further emphasized Strickland’s underrated physical strength and added, “Strickland is stronger than people think on a physical level, and his technique to get back to his feet is very good. Strickland has this unique ability to make people fight his fights, and if you haven’t been in there with him, it’s really hard to figure him out in a short period of time.”
Du Plessis raises a compelling point. To Strickland’s credit, he has consistently proven difficult to hold down. He boasts a 76% takedown defense rate and has never been submitted in his professional career. Even in his last loss to Du Plessis, he conceded just one takedown.
Additionally, Strickland’s awkward Philly Shell stance, constant forward pressure, and steady output over 25 minutes make him a uniquely taxing puzzle to solve. That very style powered him to a stunning upset over Adesanya at UFC 293, where he outworked one of the sport’s most feared strikers to claim championship gold.
With Chimaev currently sidelined as he recovers from foot surgery, the question now shifts to matchmaking. When the champion is ready to defend his belt, it will be fascinating to see whether the UFC goes for Strickland or Imavov as Chimaev’s first title defense opponent.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.