Dricus Du Plessis knows a few things about fighting both Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev. He has beaten Strickland twice but was stopped by Chimaev in a dominant performance. Now, he’s weighing the potential matchup between the two.
“That’s interesting because as far as I know, Imavov and Khamzat said they didn’t want to fight each other,” Du Plessis said on The Ariel Helwani Show. “You know the UFC doesn’t like that at all. I do think the Strickland fight does make sense. For me, I don’t want to fight Strickland again unless he’s champion. I do think Strickland would do great against Khamzat. Just his style, I think he would.”
Why Strickland Could Be Different
Du Plessis points to Strickland’s style as a key reason he could trouble Chimaev. It’s not just the striking; it’s how Strickland handles takedowns and recovers under pressure.
“One hundred percent, I mean, did you see what Strickland did to Imavov? And that striking, of course, is the other thing,” Du Plessis said. “Strickland’s ability of when you take him down, to get back up to his feet, he does a very good job at that. When I fought him the first and second time, he’s really good at that.”
He also notes Strickland’s strength and clever fight IQ.
“Strickland is stronger than people think on a physical level, and his technique to get back to his feet is very good. … Strickland has this unique ability to make people fight his fights, and if you haven’t been in there with him, it’s really hard to figure him out in a short period of time.”
Du Plessis Doesn’t Want to Face Strickland Again… Yet
Although he respects Strickland’s abilities, Du Plessis says he won’t challenge him again unless Strickland becomes a champion. Still, he feels fans could see a very interesting matchup if the fight happens.
“I do think Strickland would do great against Khamzat. Just his style, I think he would.”
With Chimaev’s unbeaten record and Strickland’s growing momentum, Du Plessis sees a scenario where their styles clash in a compelling way.
