Former UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis explained what makes current UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland so good.
Strickland does not have the most flashy style, but he has been able to win the UFC middleweight championship twice with his jab, teep kick, and cardio.
Du Plessis, who has fought and defeated Strickland twice, recognizes how solid his rival is and explained what makes him so dangerous.
Dricus du Plessis Has High Praise for Sean Strickland
Speaking to Fight Forecast, du Plessis levied high praise upon Strickland, pointing out his title-winning performance against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 as the epitome of his fighting style.
“He is very fit, he can always go five rounds, and he’s so good at dragging people into his style. When Khamzat couldn’t enforce his style, he had that first round, he got very tired because he worked very hard. Strickland is very good on the ground, especially defensively. When he started stopping Khamzat’s takedowns, Khamzat got tired and he got forced to fight Strickland’s fight — and Strickland wins that every single time,” du Plessis said.
🗣️ “He is very fit, he can always go five rounds, and he’s so good at dragging people into his style.”
🗣️ “When Khamzat couldn’t enforce his style, he had that first round, he got very tired because he worked very
What’s Next for Dricus du Plessis?
While Strickland seems destined for a title fight rematch against top contender Nassourdine Imavov sometime in early 2027, du Plessis does not have a fight booked at the moment, and he’s without a clear path back to the title at the moment, even though he has two previous career victories against Strickland.
The UFC could potentially do a rematch between du Plessis and Chimaev with a UFC middleweight title shot on the line, but Chimaev absolutely dominated their first fight, and the promotion may not want to run that fight back again.
Du Plessis, who is coming off an impressive Fight of the Night win over former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in his last fight, could also potentially take on the winner of Brendan Allen vs. Christian Leroy Duncan or the winner of Joe Pyfer vs. Bo Nickal.
But it feels like he is going to have to wait a while for a title shot, with Strickland vs. Imavov not officially booked just yet.
Dricus du Plessis Explains What Makes Sean Strickland so Good