Dricus Du Plessis correctly predicted Sean Strickland would defeat Khamzat Chimaev by unanimous decision at UFC 328. Before the main event began, Du Plessis made this prediction on video for UFC social media. Footage shows Du Plessis's reaction to the actual judges' verdict confirming his prediction. According to the post, Du Plessis appeared to be the happiest person in the arena when the decision was announced. The post humorously suggests he may have known something others didn't.
Dricus Du Plessis called it before the first punch was thrown. The South African middleweight went on record for UFC social media ahead of the UFC 328 main event on May 9, predicting Sean Strickland would defeat Khamzat Chimaev by unanimous decision — and when the judges' scorecards confirmed exactly that, Du Plessis was reportedly the happiest man in the building.
Du Plessis, ranked second in the middleweight division and seventh pound-for-pound at 32 years old, carries a 23-3-0 professional record. Fighting out of Team CIT, the switch-stance South African lands 5.18 significant strikes per minute and adds a grappling dimension with 2.22 takedowns per 15 minutes. His familiarity with both Strickland and Chimaev as divisional rivals makes his confident prediction all the more notable.
Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion, improved to 31-7-0 with the victory. The 35-year-old American trains at Xtreme Couture and is one of the division's most relentless volume strikers, averaging 6.04 significant strikes per minute. At six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach, "Tarzan" mirrors Du Plessis physically and has proven himself capable of grinding through elite opposition.
Chimaev entered the contest ranked first in the division and tenth pound-for-pound with a 15-1-0 record. The 32-year-old fighting out of Allstars Training Center is a dominant wrestler, averaging an elite 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes, but Strickland's defensive awareness and chin proved to be the difference on the night.
Why it matters
- Du Plessis's public prediction, now confirmed correct, adds an entertaining storyline to an already loaded middleweight division.
- With Strickland retaining the title, a potential champion-versus-second-ranked-contender matchup between Strickland and Du Plessis looms as an obvious next step.
- Chimaev's first divisional loss reshapes the middleweight landscape and raises questions about his path back to title contention.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
