Fight Coverage
Rematch Timeline | Du Plessis vs Strickland 2
Revisit The Journeys That Led Dricus Du Plessis And Sean Strickland To Their Middleweight Title Rematch At UFC 312
The middleweight fight goes up for grabs in Sydney, Australia, and at the center of the matchup is the second rematch in four title fights for the division.
This time, Du Plessis looks to settle the score with Strickland after cementing his place on the throne thanks to a submission win over former king Israel Adesanya in August 2024.
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At UFC 312, Du Plessis and former champion Sean Strickland lock horns for the second time in less than 13 months. Before they collide Down Under, let’s take a look at the paths that drew them back together:
The First Fight: Du Plessis defeats Strickland by Split Decision
(UFC 297: Strickland vs Du Plessis – January 20, 2024)
Full Fight | Dricus Du Plessis vs Sean Strickland 1
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Full Fight | Dricus Du Plessis vs Sean Strickland 1
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After Strickland pulled off one of the bigger championship upsets in recent memory at UFC 293, defeating Adesanya via decision in Sydney, he made his first defense against the South African in Toronto.
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The two battled for a back-and-forth 25 minutes, and when the final horn sounded, few were left confident in how the judges would score the fight. Ultimately, they gave the split nod to Du Plessis, his timely takedowns and a nasty cut on Strickland likely providing the difference in the closest rounds.
Strickland defeats Paulo Costa by Split Decision
(UFC 302: Makhachev vs Poirier – June 2, 2024)
Full Fight | Sean Strickland vs Paulo Costa
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Full Fight | Sean Strickland vs Paulo Costa
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While Strickland took the loss amicably in Toronto, he felt he won the fight and was adamant he deserved an immediate rematch. When that didn’t materialize—partially because the long-awaited matchup between Du Plessis and Adesanya was out there in the ether—he took a risk and accepted a five-round co-main event against former title challenger Paulo Costa.
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What transpired was sort of the traditional Strickland fight. Costa, normally a marauding, pressure-heavy fighter, took a more methodical approach. It was a surprising decision from the Brazilian, but it played into the former champion’s game well, and he was able to take the win on the scorecards.
Du Plessis defeats Israel Adesanya by Submission (rear naked choke)
(UFC 305: Du Plessis vs Adesanya – August 18, 2024)
Full Fight | Dricus Du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya
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Full Fight | Dricus Du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya
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Bad blood boiled fiercely in Perth as Adesanya returned from his 11-month hiatus to get his belt back. However, Du Plessis proved he was every bit the match for “The Last Stylebender.” On the feet, Du Plessis found plenty of success, stunning Adesanya on a handful of occasions while implementing wrestling at the right times.
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After three close rounds, it all came together for Du Plessis as he stunned Adesanya when the former champ retreated, and then wrangled him against the Octagonside. From there, Du Plessis took Adesanya’s back and sunk in the choke to force the New Zealander to tap for the first time.
UFC 312: Du Plessis vs Strickland 2 took place live from Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney Olympic Park, New South Wales, Australia on February 8, 2024. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!