Reigning champion Dricus Du Plessis proved his dominance after defeating rival Sean Strickland. Defending his tittle in a rematch. Image: Forbes.
(The Post News)– In the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Saturday Night Fight, Dricus Du Plessis again proved his dominance over Sean Strickland, as he beat him via a unanimous decision victory at UFC 312 to retain the middleweight title. The South African outclassed Strickland over five rounds to take a comfortable win on the judges’ scorecards: 50-45, 50-45, 49-46.
The rematch in Sydney, Australia, saw Du Plessis put up a much stronger performance than that first fight, which he’d won by way of a hotly debated split decision in January 2024 to capture the belt. No debate this time around, however, as he outstruck Strickland and appeared to break his nose with a flush right cross to the face during the fourth.
Strickland, 33, never mounted much of any offence, not even being able to match the output or urgency set by Du Plessis. The American showed heart in making the final buzzer but was clearly second best on the night after absorbing a tonne of damage.
The win extended Du Plessis’ winning streak to nine fights, the longest active streak in UFC middleweight history. Fast becoming the ruler of the division, 31-year-old South African Du Plessis will now look to whoever is next in the picture as he builds his legacy in the sport to be one of the best fighters in the Middleweight division.
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