Former UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis broke down the UFC 328 main event between rivals Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland.
Du Plessis has fought both Chimaev and Strickland, so he’s the perfect person to ask about Saturday’s headlining middleweight title fight between champion Chimaev and challenger Strickland, a grudge match years in the making. Chimaev and Strickland, who used to train each other, hate each other now, and it nearly led to a violent incident at Thursday’s press conference. On Saturday night at UFC 328, we’ll find out who the better fighter is.
Dricus Du Plessis Analyses Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland
At UFC 297 in January 2024, Du Plessis won the UFC middleweight title when he defeated Strickland by split decision. After picking up his first title defense against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, Du Plessis then beat Strickland in a rematch at UFC 312 in February 2025. But he lost his belt when Chimaev blanked him on the scorecards at UFC 319 in August 2025.
Speaking to Fight Forecast, Du Plessis was asked to break down Saturday’s main event at UFC 328 between Du Plessis and Strickland, and he analyzed the highly anticipated bout in great detail.
“The first round is going to tell us so much about this fight. I know Khamzat is going to get him down. I’ve taken Strickland down so many times. I know Khamzat is going to get him down, but to keep him there? That’s going to be the big question. Because Strickland’s ability to get up, the technique he uses, the strength he has. He’s a strong guy, a lot stronger than Khamzat on a physical level. I think he’s going to surprise some people. If Strickland gets up two or three times in the first round, it’s not going to get easier with the sweat and the fatigue, trying to keep a guy down that gets up. It uses a lot more energy than the guy getting up,” Du Plessis said (via MMAMania.com).
Dricus Du Plessis Thinks Sean Strickland Has a Chance to Defy the Odds
The betting odds for Saturday’s main event at UFC 328 see Chimaev as a monster -550 favorite, with the comeback on the underdog Strickland being +420.
Despite those lopsided odds, however, Du Plessis believes Strickland has a chance to pull off the upset.
“Strickland has the cardio, we’ve seen that. Once Khamzat has to fight Strickland’s fight, I just don’t think he has a chance. Khamzat throws – he hits hard, he kicks hard, but not scary hard, and he’s kind of predictable. And with a guy like Strickland, some of the best defense in the whole of MMA. You’re not going to catch him with something if you don’t set it up. I don’t think Khamzat has the skills to set that knockout up, but it’s fighting. He can catch you. If Khamzat takes him down in that first round, holds him down, and Strickland cannot get up, it’s Khamzat’s fight. But, I do believe Strickland has every tool to not let that happen and maybe snatch that title away. I think the first round is going to tell us how that fight is going to play out,” Du Plessis said.
Dricus Du Plessis Breaks Down Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland