Dricus du Plessis is able to silence the doubters.
This Saturday, du Plessis defends his middleweight title in the primary occasion of UFC 312, rematching the person he received the belt from, Sean Strickland. Their first battle was a carefully contested battle that du Plessis edged out by way of cut up choice, a choice Strickland and lots of followers consider wasn’t the proper one. However du Plessis has no doubts about who received.
“In case you play the percentages like Strickland, having eight cut up choices in your profession, a cut up choice is what you name a coin flip,” du Plessis mentioned on the UFC 312 Media Day. “In case you flip that coin eight instances, you’re certain to get unfortunate a few instances. He bought fortunate with the cut up choice in any other case we wouldn’t be right here now.
“I’m very joyful that they made this battle. I used to be asking for this battle up till the Khamzat factor occurred, then I might have most well-liked that battle. However I’m actually joyful this battle is going on as a result of now I can go and say we’re going to settle this. We’re going to place this to mattress, as a result of all of the Strickland followers that consider he received that battle, I can simply exit and put this behind me. …
“For me proper now, I feel Strickland is the most effective middleweight on the earth, behind myself, and he deserves to be right here.”
Heading into their rematch, du Plessis has no illusions about what he’s going through. He is aware of the primary battle was “a warfare” and has the utmost respect for Strickland. Nonetheless, the middleweight champion is taking some confidence from profitable the primary go round, and from how a lot he’s improved since.
“I did the proper issues to win that battle,” du Plessis mentioned. “He’s going to make changes to be higher. I’ve to do the identical factor. It’s not that I’ve to do something totally different. I’ve to do no matter I’ve been doing, higher. I’ve had a 12 months now to enhance on that efficiency, to be cleaner, to be fitter, stronger, and by way of energy, that’s not an issue. Simply being cleaner, choosing the photographs higher, being extra affected person.
“This isn’t my first UFC title battle anymore, and I do know I can push that tempo for 5 rounds. In order that adjustments my dynamic. However I’m not going into this battle considering it’s the identical battle as the primary one. He’s going to make the changes, he is aware of what it’s like in there with me, identical to I do know what he’s doing.
“His crew is unbelievable. He has an extremely good coach. Coach Eric [Nicksick] could be very well-respected and I’ve a world of respect for him. I do know he’s a grasp on the sport plan and figuring it out, however so are my coaches and my crew. So yeah, very comparable within the battle as a result of we each now know, and the way a lot may have actually modified? It’s nearly being cleaner and higher at every thing.”
In fact, it won’t be precisely that means. Du Plessis additionally acknowledges that he can’t get too caught up in how their first battle went, as a result of issues transfer rapidly in MMA, which is why he ready for this battle like he’ll see a complete new Strickland come Saturday.
“I feel it could possibly however it could possibly additionally chunk you within the ass,” du Plessis mentioned when requested about placing an excessive amount of inventory of their first battle. “In case you assume you’re preventing a sure type and a sure man and hastily he comes out utterly totally different, that may throw you off, too. To think about the second battle the identical as the primary battle can be the identical degree as underestimating Sean Strickland, which I’m not doing.
“I’m anticipating the most effective fighter on the earth to point out up, identical to I’ve anticipated the most effective fighter on the earth to point out up each single time. Like we noticed with Adesanya. When he confirmed up I knew I used to be to battle the most effective Adesanya. Everyone knew. He mentioned it, everyone mentioned he seemed unbelievable. I went on the market to be the most effective Adesanya, identical to I’m on the market to beat the most effective Strickland that we’ve ever seen.
“His battle type doesn’t have any impact on how I battle. I’m going on the market to do what I do and do it because the world champion, the most effective on the earth. He’s going to be the most effective Strickland on the earth and we’re going to see whose greatest is the most effective.”
