Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Sean Strickland (red glove) fights Dricus Du Plessis (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

mma

UFC 312: Dricus Du Plessis Vs. Sean Strickland Head To Head Record, Tale Of The Tape And More!

Compare DDP vs Sean Strickland's head-to-head record and key stats in this detailed Tale of the Tape breakdown!

Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Sean Strickland (red glove) fights Dricus Du Plessis (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Mixed martial arts has always been full of surprising stories and unexpected champions. The middleweight division, in particular, has seen its fair share of dramatic shifts in power. After the reign of Israel Adesanya and the fierceness of Alex Pereira, few could have predicted the emergence of Dricus du Plessis and Sean Strickland as elite competitors, let alone UFC champions.

Their paths to the top couldn’t have been more different. Du Plessis emerged from South Africa’s regional scene with a kickboxing background, while Strickland overcame a troubled past in California through martial arts. Both men defied the odds to reach the summit of the sport, setting up an intriguing rivalry that has captured fans’ attention.

Also Read: ‘I Am The Captain Now’ – Technically Superior MVP Too Much For Shara Bullet To Handle

Dricus Du Plessis’ MMA Journey

Du Plessis built his career from the ground up in South Africa’s EFC promotion. Starting with judo at age five, he later added wrestling and kickboxing to his arsenal. His early success included becoming South Africa’s first WAKO World Championship gold medalist in K-1 kickboxing.

‘Stillknocks’ dominated the African circuit, claiming both welterweight and middleweight titles in EFC before expanding his horizons in Europe’s KSW promotion. His UFC run has been nothing short of remarkable.

Maturing is realizing that Dricus won this fight 50-45 🇿🇦🏆#UFC305
pic.twitter.com/T1k69Z0iCc
— GigaDoBronx (@GigaDoBronxAlt) August 9, 2024

He had six straight wins including victories over Derek Brunson and Robert Whittaker, before he fought for the title. Then he had the fight against Sean Strickland that made him the UFC middleweight champion. His weird aggressive style and finishing ability quickly earned him a spot in the toughest middleweight fighters to beat. Now, he stands at 22-2 in MMA, and is still undefeated in the UFC.

Du Plessis’ MMA Record

24 Fights	22 Wins	2 Losses
By KO/TKO	9	1
By Submission	11	1
By Decision	2	0

Sean Strickland’s Path to the Top

Strickland’s story reads like a Hollywood script – minus the happy childhood parts. Training became his escape from a troubled home life and radical beliefs. Despite early success in King of the Cage, where he went undefeated, Strickland’s UFC career had ups and downs. He was usually regarded as a journeyman, but he proved everyone wrong.

2. Sean Strickland vs Israel Adesanya

Strickland was supposed to be an easy fight for Adesanya but Strickland shocked the world by knocking him down and winning a mostly dominant 49-46 decision. pic.twitter.com/XhfGbnwezD
— Wire (@WireMartialArts) December 9, 2023

A motorcycle accident in 2018 nearly ended his career, but he returned stronger. The biggest fight of his career came as a short notice against the seemingly invincible Israel Adesanya. His upset win over the legend for the title in 2023 shocked the MMA world, proving that sometimes the most unlikely candidates make the most compelling champions. His record now stands at a modest 29-6.

Strickland MMA Record

35 Fights	29 Wins	6 Losses
By KO/TKO	11	2
By Submission	4	0
By Decision	14	4

Who Won Du Plessis Vs. Strickland 1 At UFC 297?

Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis’ first clash at UFC 297 was a nail-biter. After a heated build-up that included a brawl at UFC 296, they delivered a five-round war. Du Plessis claimed the title via split decision in a fight that could have gone either way (although, many including Dana White and Joe Rogan thought Strickland had won).

📊 Significant strikes differential in Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis’ first fight.

It was very close. pic.twitter.com/KqYxsPK4c5
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) February 2, 2025

The close nature of the bout and the contrasting styles – DDP’s explosive power versus Strickland’s technical boxing – made an immediate rematch inevitable. Now after DDP defended hos title against Israel Adesanya recently, he is set to take on the fight that would answer all questions.

UFC 312: The Rematch

Now fans are heading into their second meeting at UFC 312, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Dricus Du Plessis aims to prove the first win wasn’t a fluke, while Sean Strickland seeks redemption. Their first fight showed how evenly matched they are. DDP’s explosive power and wrestling against Strickland’s precise striking and defensive skills.

A closeup of the face off between Dricus and Sean 🧐🧐🧐🧐 pic.twitter.com/FLdryosrIL
— rocky ★ (@Kolioko_) January 19, 2024

The rematch promises more fireworks, especially given both fighters’ tendency to speak their minds. In saying this, the press conference will be bonkers, Given their recent performances and the competitive nature of their first bout, this rematch could easily steal the show as one of 2025’s most anticipated fights!

(Image Credit: Dan Hamilton – Imagn Images)

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!