Dricus Du Plessis is scheduled to face Sean Strickland for the UFC middleweight title, but the two got their hands on each other early in Las Vegas.
Between fights at UFC 296, Strickland, who sat two rows in front of Du Plessis, attacked his upcoming UFC 297 main event opponent after they exchanged words when production cameras highlighted their attendance at the event.
Strickland calmly asked people in the row behind him to move out of the way, and then he jumped on Du Plessis, and landed punches until security separated the two middleweights. Strickland was then escorted out of the arena.
After the altercation, Du Plessis spoke with Megan Olivi backstage during the ESPN+ post-fight show about the incident.
“I’m 5-0 in the T-Mobile Arena, and tonight I officially became 6-0, so I’m happy with that,” Du Plessis joked. “I’m getting my money’s worth here at the show, but yeah, it’s probably not a good example, but here we are. Things happen, and nobody got hurt. All is good.”
Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis exchanged words and had a physical altercation during #UFC296.
UFC security had to separate the two and Strickland was escorted out of the arena. pic.twitter.com/lHQ5EYw4Jg
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 17, 2023
Du Plessis appeared amused by the attack from Strickland.
Tensions between the two began boiling at the UFC’s seasonal press conference, which took place Friday. Both fighters exchanged heated words, but Du Plessis mentioning Strickland’s abusive childhood struck a nerve.
“I don’t really care how he feels,” Du Plessis said. “I don’t care about him being triggered. He goes and says whatever he wants. … Now there’s one thing that’s a soft spot, a trigger for him, and now we’re not allowed to say it? I mean, if you want to dish it out, you have to be able to take it. But yeah, the fact that he’s triggered, I don’t give a damn about that.”
Du Plessis continued to explain that he was not bothered by Strickland’s attack in the crowd. They will have the opportunity to settle their differences in an officially sanctioned bout for the UFC middleweight title on Jan. 20 in Toronto. Until then, Du Plessis says he’s “cool as a cucumber.”
“I’m feeling absolutely great and the fact that he’s triggered only plays into my advantage,” Du Plessis said. “I can’t believe how easy it was to mentally trigger him. I thought Sean Strickland, he’s just bashing everybody around, about everything on everybody, and one little sentence and the man loses his mind. Shows you how easily mentally he’ll be broken.”
