Dricus Du Plessis
Dricus Du Plessis believes that Sean Strickland has a chance to beat Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328, scheduled for May.
The former division champion, who has already faced Sean Strickland twice and lost to the Chechen in his last fight, believes the technical matchup favors the controversial American.
Speaking with SA Boxing Talk, Du Plessis highlighted Strickland’s advantage in the exchanges and emphasized how difficult it is to dominate him in grappling.
In the South African’s view, Sean is stronger than many imagine, possessing what it takes to stand up to Chimaev. Therefore, he has a chance to surprise the world and end the undefeated streak of the division’s current monarch.
“In the exchanges, Sean Strickland fares better against Khamzat. Holding him down is very difficult; Strickland is stronger than people imagine. I think he has a good chance in this fight,” argued Du Plessis
Dricus Du Plessis faced Sean Strickland as the title challenger at UFC 297, capturing the championship after an intense bout that ended in a split decision and drew mixed reactions from fans.
The rematch took place a year later at UFC 312, where Du Plessis emerged victorious once again, this time with a more convincing unanimous decision. Against Khamzat Chimaev, however, Du Plessis didn’t fare as well. At UFC 319, he was dominated by ‘Borz’ for 15 minutes and lost the belt, unable to handle the Chechen fighter’s elite level.
