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Dricus du Plessis received a hero’s welcome Wednesday after beating Sean Strickland and winning the UFC middleweight championship at UFC 297 on Saturday, January 20, in Canada.
Though Strickland showed good boxing ability and defensive nous, he looked too one-paced against a challenger who appeared to grow in strength by the middle rounds.
Sporting facial cuts and swelling so grotesque it almost closed his left eye entirely, du Plessis was by no means undamaged, but happily spoke to reporters after the event with the UFC title in front of him.
“I look like a cauliflower now,” he said. “I’m pretty banged up right now.”
Regardless, he wants to compete again and again this year and said he’d even target a spot on the big UFC 300 event in Las Vegas on April 13.
Now, just a matter of days later after his championship win, reality continues to dawn on the new champion as he was met with signs, flags, and excitable screams when he paraded his championship at the O.R. Tambo International Airport, which serves Pretoria and Johannesburg, in his native South Africa.
Du Plessis Will Not Be Short of Big-Name Opponents
Regardless of when du Plessis does return to the Octagon, he will not be shy of quality opposition.
A huge match against the former champion Israel Adesanya, who lives in New Zealand but was born in Nigeria, is an obvious bout to book — particularly if UFC boss Dana White can secure a venue for it in South Africa.
On a much talked-about UFC Africa event, du Plessis told reporters at the post UFC 297 press conference: “We’ve worked our [expletive] off to get this event to Africa and South Africa and it’s time that happens.”
A fight against Adesanya is also “the fight the fans want to see,” according to du Plessis.
Outside of Adesanya, a match against the intimidating freestyle wrestler Khamzat Chimaev could be an option.
“Who takes that guy seriously?” du Plessis said of Chimaev at the UFC 297 presser.
There is, of course, also a possibility that du Plessis and Strickland fight each other once again. The first fight, after all, showcased sterling stand-up skillsets.
Strickland Blames Defeat on a Headbutt
After dwelling on the defeat, the sixth of his pro MMA career, Strickland said losing a close decision to du Plessis was down to an accidental headbutt, according to a separate MMA Fighting story.
A cut, which has since been stitched, compromised his vision, he said in an Instagram post Tuesday.
If it weren’t for that, Strickland said, he’d have beaten du Plessis that night and still be wearing the UFC’s crown at 185-pounds.
“The only reason why you took a round from me is because I couldn’t see,” said Strickland on social media.
“I won that fight, the world knows I won that fight. The belt they gave you will never make you a champion, enjoy.”
The UFC’s live event business is on a pause right now but returns with a Fight Night-branded event at the UFC Apex on February 3.
Another Fight Night event in the same venue is scheduled for February 10, while the next pay-per-view will take place February 17 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, and features Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria in the main event.
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