Heading into UFC 312, Dricus Du Plessis already had one triumph over Sean Strickland, but this time, he wasn’t just looking for another victory—he wanted to make a statement. And in Sydney, he did just that. Du Plessis dominated Strickland in their middleweight title showdown, leaving no doubt about who the better fighter was. While he couldn’t secure a finish, the defending champion controlled the fight from start to finish, earning a clear-cut unanimous decision. The judges’ scorecards—50-45, 50-45, and 49-46—solidified his reign over the division.
From the opening bell, Strickland’s signature Philly Shell boxing and volume striking were met with stiff resistance. While he had moments of success, landing a few clean jabs and combinations, they were overshadowed by Du Plessis’ superior pace, power, and substantial output. One of the biggest issues in Strickland’s performance was he didn’t go into the final gear, despite constant instructions from his coach, Eric Nicksick.
Rather than adjusting his approach, Strickland stuck to his usual style—one that simply wasn’t enough against an opponent as dynamic as Du Plessis. Strickland’s performance drew criticism from many, including ringside analyst and former fighter Din Thomas. Speaking on the ESPN MMA Show, Thomas didn’t hold back: “Well, we just have to admit it now. We have to admit it—Sean Strickland is not who he says he is. He’s not who he says he is. We want him to be something. He wants to be something, but he’s not that guy. He didn’t even go too deep. I’m not saying he is a great fighter. I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve to be where he is at. But he is not who he says he is. We got to admit that.”
While Strickland remains a top contender, his failure to rise to the occasion once again raises questions about his ability to reclaim the title. However, despite the intensity of their rivalry, both fighters shared a moment of mutual respect backstage after the fight. Before the bout, Strickland was vocal in his criticism of Du Plessis’ unconventional fighting style. But after suffering a second defeat to ‘Stillknocks,’ his perspective has clearly shifted.
Sean Strickland praises Dricus Du Plessis after his UFC 312 performance
Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis may have battled it out once again at UFC 312, but it seems their rivalry is finally coming to an end. ‘Tarzan’, sporting a broken nose from the fight, got a blunt admission from the champion. The South African revealed that the moment he saw Strickland’s nose shatter in the fourth round, his instincts kicked in. His eyes lit up, and he wasted no time trying to capitalize on the damage, looking to put Strickland away for good. But the American tried his best to continue even trying to reset his nose mid-fight.
Strickland did admit to the fact that he wanted to push it back like it is done in the movies and said, “Yeah dude I had broken my nose, and in the movies they just set it back.” However, he had no ill feelings towards the champion but rather seemed to be impressed with his performance. He said, “Hey man, god bless you, you’re a bad motherf***er. Best in the world. Best in the world. I gotta go to South Africa… Toughest African I’ve ever met.”
To Strickland’s credit, there’s speculation that he entered the fight dealing with a staph infection which may have hindered his performance. However, even if that were the case, it wouldn’t have changed the outcome—Du Plessis was simply the better fighter at UFC 312. How highly do you rate the champion’s performance in Australia? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The post “Sean Strickland Is Not Who He Says He Is” – Criticism Mounts on Dricus Du Plessis’s Rival Over Lopsided UFC 312 Loss appeared first on EssentiallySports.
