Dricus Du Plessis discusses Sean Strickland and how tricky he is to figure out The pair are not strangers to how each other fight after spending 50 minutes in the cage together which a highly talked about first fight which a lot of people felt it could have went either way, Dricus discussed that Strickland is very good at making you fight his fight and is a master of dragging you into his kind of fight Strickland currently is experiencing negotiation issues with the UFC and will be next year before we see the champ back in action
Dricus Du Plessis has weighed in on the challenge of facing Sean Strickland, describing the middleweight champion as a difficult puzzle to solve who excels at dictating the terms of a fight.
Du Plessis pointed to his history with Strickland as the basis for his assessment. The two met in a first fight that went the full 50 minutes and left many observers feeling it could have gone either way. According to Du Plessis, Strickland's greatest strength is his ability to pull opponents into his own kind of fight, making it hard to impose a preferred game plan.
The comments arrive as Strickland is reportedly dealing with contract negotiation issues with the UFC. As things stand, the champion is not expected to return to action until next year.
The champion
Strickland, nicknamed "Tarzan," is 31-7-0 and holds the middleweight title. The 35-year-old American trains out of Xtreme Couture and fights from an orthodox stance. He stands six-foot-one, or 185 cm, with a 76-inch reach, which is 193 cm.
His numbers reflect the volume-heavy style Du Plessis described. Strickland lands 6.04 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy. He is not a heavy wrestler, averaging 0.71 takedowns per 15 minutes and 0.2 submission attempts over the same span, which fits a fighter who prefers to keep the contest standing and grinding.
Why it matters
- Du Plessis' remarks add to the ongoing conversation about a possible rematch of a fight many considered close.
- Strickland's contract situation, combined with an expected return next year, leaves the middleweight title picture on hold.
- The comments offer a window into the stylistic problem Strickland presents: a pressure-and-volume approach that forces opponents to fight his fight.
With Strickland sidelined by negotiations, the champion's next move, and who he faces when he does return, remains an open question for the division.
