Dricus Du Plessis Hits Sean Strickland with Chilling Response to UFC 312 "Pact" Offer

The two men are set to fight for the UFC middleweight belt in Sydney, Australia.

(Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Things are heating up between Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland just weeks out from their rematch at UFC 312.

Strickland Calls On Du Plessis To "Settle This S*** Like Men"

Undefeated in his UFC career and currently riding a 10-fight win streak overall, Du Plessis challenged Strickland for the middleweight belt at UFC 297 and took the title via a razor-thin split decision.

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“Stillknocks” went on to defend his belt against two-time titleholder Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 while Strickland rebounded with a split decision against Paulo Costa in the UFC 302 co-main event in June, and now the two middleweights are set to clash again in Sydney, Australia on February 8.

Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Sean Strickland (red glove) fights Dricus Du Plessis (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Strickland is one of the more outspoken fighters on the UFC roster, and ahead of UFC 312 the former champion shot a video with Full Violence where he called on Du Plessis to not attempt any takedowns when the two men enter the Octagon for a second time.

“Listen Dutchman, I’m gonna need you to be a f***ing man," Strickland said. "And I’m gonna need you to stand up, not go to your knees, and we’re gonna need to f***ing strike like men. I know you like to wrestle, you like to f***ing choke people out and do some g** s***, dude. But I’ll make a pact with you, you make a pact with me, that we f***ing stand up like f***ing men and we settle this s*** like men."

Du Plessis Responds to Strickland's "Pact" Request

A fan made sure to tag Du Plessis in a response to the video, and “Stillknocks” offered a simple response to the challenger’s request for a “strike like men” pact.

There are no pacts between Lions and men https://t.co/oLxMPwgqIq

— Dricus Du Plessis (@dricusduplessis) January 22, 2025

“There are no pacts between Lions and men”

Du Plessis is currently close to a 2-1 favorite on several sportsbooks to defend his title at UFC 308, which marks a significant departure from his last few fights where he was roughly even money against both Strickland and Adesanya and also a sizeable underdog against Robert Whittaker at UFC 290.

Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Dricus Du Plessis (blue gloves) celebrates defeating Sean Strickland (red glove) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The choice to book a rematch between Du Plessis and Strickland came as a surprise to more than a few fans, as #3-ranked Khamzat Chimaev added to his undefeated record when he submitted Whittaker at UFC 308 and was considered by many to be the clear-cut next challenger for the middleweight belt.

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Chimaev and Du Plessis have exchanged words online in the past, but if “Stillknocks” wants to settle things with the undefeated contender then he'll have to defend his middleweight belt for the second time when he and Strickland square off at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.

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