It wasn’t at all times fairly however Dricus du Plessis obtained the job performed as soon as once more.
As a lot because the reigning middleweight champion needed a end, du Plessis heads dwelling to South Africa with the title round his waist and a lopsided resolution on his file after beating Sean Strickland within the UFC 312 principal occasion. Whereas the rematch stayed shut all through many moments, du Plessis’ potential to attach with the larger, extra impactful strikes helped him edge out spherical after spherical.
Within the fourth spherical, du Plessis did essentially the most harm after he demolished Strickland’s nostril with a punch that noticed blood simply go pouring down the challenger’s face. That was all du Plessis wanted to in the end safe the win with the judges scoring the battle 50-45, 50-45 and 49-46 because the champion retains his title following one other five-round battle.
“I advised you guys, after I are available right here I’m making an attempt to knock this man out,” du Plessis shouted to the gang. “To knock him out is almost unattainable. I gave it my all. I’m sorry I couldn’t get him out of right here. Sean is an absolute animal and he’s deserving of all of the hype.”
In some ways the rematch performed out in related style as the primary battle with Strickland sticking behind his jab and du Plessis coming again at him with energy punches. Maybe the largest distinction was Strickland didn’t appear to have almost as a lot output and that allowed du Plessis to attach with the largest strikes all through the primary few rounds.
Some shut exchanges noticed du Plessis combine up his assaults with a number of stinging leg kicks whereas additionally throwing a spinning again fist or perhaps a spinning again elbow to maintain Strickland guessing. Whereas he wasn’t completely pulling away on the scorecards, du Plessis was connecting with the extra spectacular strikes and he was always coping with Strickland’s stifling protection.
The momentum lastly modified within the fourth spherical when du Plessis uncorked an enormous proper hand that completely demolished Strickland’s nostril as blood simply started pouring down his face.
Strickland was actually sporting the harm on his face with du Plessis in scorching pursuit making an attempt to observe up and go for the end. One other proper hand buzzed Strickland as du Plessis’ confidence actually began to surge as he started to take over however he admitted afterwards that smelling blood within the water nearly backfired on him.
“I’m most likely going to get tased for that one by my coach,” du Plessis mentioned. “As soon as I noticed him grabbing him at his nostril, it’s like getting anyone rocked. I obtained a bit overexcited and instantly went ‘the person is working and he’s working arduous.’ Don’t outpunch your self. Got here again, stayed calm.
“Took me about 30 seconds or a minute to get every part again to composure. I don’t need to make a behavior of those selections. However in opposition to a competitor like that, it means absolutely the world.”
Because the battle moved into the ultimate spherical, Strickland’s coaches weren’t mincing phrases, telling him that he wanted to get the end or he was going to go away Australia with out the title.
Sadly, Strickland didn’t actually change his assaults as he caught to the identical kind of offense with a lead left jab and an occasional straight proper hand behind it. There was no backing down from du Plessis as he stored chopping away at Strickland with kicks to the legs and physique earlier than going again up high to the top along with his boxing mixtures.
The Australian crowd was starting to develop a bit stressed however du Plessis was discovering his spots with out permitting Strickland any likelihood to tug off the miraculous comeback. With a minute remaining, du Plessis uncorked a phenomenal head kick that tagged Strickland because the champion secured the win and his second consecutive title protection.
Maybe extra importantly, du Plessis vanquished Strickland as soon as and for all with a pair of wins over the scrappy challenger, which all however ends the rivalry between them. When it was throughout, Strickland made no excuses and paid homage to du Plessis on a job nicely performed.
“When that f*cker broke my nostril, I used to be like oh that doesn’t f*cking really feel proper,” Strickland mentioned. “Popped it again in place. I stored combating. The Dutchman is a nasty motherf*cker. He kicked my ass truthful and sq.. Props to him.”
The win strikes du Plessis to 23-2 in his profession with an ideal 9-0 resume within the UFC.
Following his newest win, du Plessis pointed proper at UFC mild heavyweight champion Alex Pereira as if he was in search of a problem, though he by no means referred to as him out by title. Greater than something it seems du Plessis desires his likelihood to climb up these legendary pound-for-pound rankings after dispatching Strickland and retaining his title as soon as once more.
“Is there nobody else? Is there nobody else?” du Plessis shouted in Pereira’s route. “I’m a high three pound-for-pound fighter as of tonight. I’m coming for that No. 1 spot.”
