Dricus du Plessis confident: “I’m the best fighter in the world” ahead of rematch with Sean Strickland at UFC 312
The highly anticipated UFC 312 event is set to take place in Australia this weekend (Sunday, February 9, 2025, Vietnam time), featuring two blockbuster title fights. In the main event, Dricus du Plessis will defend his middleweight championship against Sean Strickland, while Zhang Weili will put her strawweight title on the line against Tatiana Suarez. Heading into this fight, du Plessis exudes confidence, determined to prove he is the best fighter in the world.
Du Plessis’ Confidence After Defeating Israel Adesanya
The South African fighter, also known as “Stillknocks” or simply “DDP,” gained massive confidence after his dominant victory over former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. His impressive submission victory via face crank on August 18, 2024, became the most significant win of his career, overshadowing his controversial split-decision triumph over Sean Strickland earlier in the year to claim the UFC middleweight title.
Despite being the reigning champion, du Plessis believes he has “unfinished business” with Strickland. Determined to remove any doubts from their first encounter, he aims to secure a decisive victory in their rematch.
Du Plessis: “I Am the Best Fighter in the World”
During the UFC 312 media day, Du Plessis made it clear that he is fully prepared for this battle, regardless of Strickland’s fighting style.
“His style won’t affect my game plan at all! I will step into the Octagon as the world champion, as the best fighter in the world,” du Plessis declared. “Meanwhile, my opponent will be the best version of Strickland we’ve ever seen. And in the UFC 312 main event, we will find out who truly is the best fighter in the world right now!”
The middleweight division, once dominated by Adesanya for five years with five successful title defenses, now belongs to du Plessis. The former Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) middleweight titleholder joined the UFC in 2020 and climbed the ranks with five consecutive victories.
The Road to UFC 312: Du Plessis’ Rise in the Middleweight Division
Du Plessis’ journey to the top accelerated in July 2023, when he secured a TKO victory over Robert Whittaker at UFC 290, earning a title shot. Since then, he has been the most talked-about name in the middleweight division.
Speaking on the UFC Eurasia YouTube channel, du Plessis addressed the controversy surrounding his first fight with Strickland:
“Do I want to erase all doubts about our first fight? Absolutely. But it wasn’t just me who thought I won—so did the judges.”
Originally, Du Plessis had hoped to fight Khamzat Chimaev before granting Strickland a rematch. However, after negotiations, the decision was made to run it back, and du Plessis is eager to settle the rivalry once and for all.
Strickland’s Trash Talk and Mind Games Before UFC 312
Never one to hold back, Sean Strickland wasted no time in verbally attacking du Plessis ahead of UFC 312. His signature trash talk was as brutal as ever:
“Dricus fights like a mentally challenged guy on a special needs bus, but I respect that,” Strickland said. “I can fight like an autistic kid too, but you, Dricus, are like the bus driver. And honestly, with your look, you shouldn’t be allowed near children!”
Strickland’s harsh words reflect his usual pre-fight antics, but Du Plessis remains laser-focused on proving his dominance inside the Octagon.
As UFC 312 approaches, fight fans are eagerly awaiting the rematch. Will Du Plessis cement his legacy as the undisputed middleweight champion, or will Strickland reclaim the title? One thing is certain—this battle will be one of the most explosive UFC showdowns of the year.
