Dricus Du Plessis isn’t notably keen on Sean Strickland’s pitter-pattering contained in the Octagon.
After securing a break up resolution victory over Strickland final January to assert the middleweight title, the 2 will run it again on February 8 when the promotion heads again to Sydney, Australia for UFC 312.
Within the time since their preliminary five-round affair, Du Plessis has logged a fourth-round submission victory over two-time titleholder Israel Adesanya whereas ‘Tarzan’ added yet one more break up resolution win to his resume, besting Paulo Costa in June.
Strickland’s scrap in opposition to Costa left loads to be desired and ‘DDP’ didn’t draw back from throwing some shade at Strickland for overpromising and under-delivering in yet one more combat.
“Yeah, I mean, Paulo Costa and Strickland’s last fight… I mean, nothing’s changed. And that’s, that’s… that’s… no, it looked boring like every other fight,” Du Plessis stated throughout an interview on FOX Sports activities Australia. “Strolling ahead, jabbing, tipping, it wasn’t an thrilling combat. And then you definately take a look at the Sean combat, folks go like, ‘Did you see that last 30 seconds?’ I say 30 seconds. It’s a five-rounder, and Sean goes…
“No, it was a foul efficiency from his facet. It wasn’t a foul efficiency. It was probably the most regular efficiency for him ever. You realize, in our combat, I bear in mind there was a stage within the combat the place I used to be strolling ahead, however he simply stored transferring away and transferring away, and I believed to myself, ‘I’m gonna stand right here, perhaps he will get the boldness to stroll ahead after which we are able to, you already know, punch it out.’ And he simply dropped his arms a bit of and stated, ‘Cool.’ He has no downside with the group booing his combating type. He has no downside with that.
“Unfortunately for me, I don’t… I don’t have that in me. I’m there to entertain. I’m there to give the fans a show, and, uh, I’m not there just to win fights. That is only 50% of our jobs: to win that fight. The other 50% is going out there and giving a show, like I always do.”
Du Plessis continues to slam split-decision machine Sean Strickland
Regardless of his powerful discuss on social media and a penchant for KOing his sparring companions, Strickland not often brings that very same vitality contained in the Octagon. By way of 22 profession fights beneath the UFC banner, he has solely ended issues inside the gap 5 instances, together with 4 knockouts and one submission.
Strickland’s final end got here in opposition to Abus Magomedov in July 2023. Earlier than that, you’d must go all the way in which again to November 2020 when he TKO’d Brendan Allen within the second spherical of a Battle Night time scrap in Las Vegas.
“Now sure, like I said, his fighting style was very, very effective in avoiding damage and, you know, winning by decision,” Du Plessis continued. “The person has eight split-decision victories. I imply, that in itself has to inform you why, um… or split-decision a combat within the UFC? That in itself has to inform you, pay attention, the person’s not going on the market to complete fights or to entertain.
“Now, is he more entertaining in a fight? Definitely more than he is in the fight. I have to say that. But, you know, it’s effective and it works for him, I guess.”
In the meantime, ‘Stillknocks’ has a 75% end price within the UFC, placing away six of his eight opponents, together with Darren Until, Derek Brunson, Robert Whittaker, and ‘The Last Stylebender.’ General, Du Plessis has 20 profession finishes in opposition to 22 whole victories, making him one of many UFC’s most prolific finishers.
