Dricus Du Plessis fires back with savage trolling, claiming his rival "got uglier," stirring up more trash talk!

‘Couldn’t believe he got uglier’ – Troll Menace Dricus Du Plessis Strikes Again!

Dricus Du Plessis fires back with savage trolling, claiming his rival "got uglier," stirring up more trash talk!

Post-fight respect usually takes center stage in MMA after a fight. However, the UFC 312 winner Dricus Du Plessis just couldn’t help himself. The South African champion, fresh off his victory over Sean Strickland, showed that his sharp tongue is just as active as his striking.

After breaking Strickland’s nose with a devastating right hand in the fourth round, Du Plessis couldn’t resist taking playful jabs at his opponent’s appearance during the post-fight press conference.

“I told him he was ugly when we fought. Because he’s not a pretty person to see. When I saw him after that, when I hit him on the nose. I went: ‘Wow’.I couldn’t believe he got uglier, I was like: ‘Woah’. And he did, I was like: ‘Your nose is so screwed up man’.”

This kind of post-fight banter brings back memories of the legendary Chael Sonnen, who once famously told Anderson Silva that he “absolutely sucks” after a different fight. Du Plessis even went into hilarious detail about watching Strickland attempt to fix his broken nose mid-fight, admitting he almost gave him time to adjust it before thinking better of it and deciding to punch him instead. The champion’s commentary included a rather technical critique of Strickland’s nose-straightening technique. He revealed that he was hoping that his opponent could get the nose set as Strickland was pushing it in the wrong direction.

Also Read: UFC Middleweight Rankings – Aftermath Of UFC 312 As Dricus Du Plessis Puts A Beatdown On Sean Strickland To Retain The UFC Middleweight Title!

UFC 312 Main Event Brief Summary

The fight between these two was, in all honesty, a one sided affair. The first round was close and that could have been scored for either of them. But after that, Dricus Du Plessis found his rhythm. He stepped on the gas and refused to let go. Strickland, for all his defensive prowess, kept doing only that: defending. Du Plessis’ constant pressure subdued ‘Tarzan’s’ drive to attack much.

Dricus du Plessis seemingly broke Sean Strickland's nose with a right hand in the 4th round 😳 #UFC312 pic.twitter.com/N6obgVeRik
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 9, 2025

The fourth round saw the fight almost coming to a close when Du Plessis’ right hand broke Strickland’s nose. He retreated, trying to fix it and finally managed to survive the round. The duo went the full 5 rounds, with the judges giving Dricus Du Plessis the unanimous decision win. This time, there was no controversy. The ‘Dutchman’ had left his mark, both literally and metaphorically!

Respect Beneath The Criticism

Despite all the jokes and jabs, there is undeniable respect flowing between these two warriors. Fans have seen this before in MMA – remember how Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira were heated rivals? Now, they share laugh sitting on adjacent seats. Du Plessis and Strickland’s relationship follows a similar pattern. Their first meeting at UFC 297 was filled with intense buildup and personal attacks, but both fighters have shown remarkable professionalism in the aftermath of their battles.

Two badass motherf****** 😤#UFC312 pic.twitter.com/ryRu1wPj9V
— UFC (@ufc) February 9, 2025

This mix of competitive fire and professional respect isn’t new to the sport, but it’s particularly interesting coming from Du Plessis. The champion’s focus has already shifted to potential future challenges, including the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev and possibly light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira!

(Image Credit: UFC- X)

Dricus Du Plessis

Sean Strickland

UFC 312

Zaid Quraishi

mma

I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!