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UFC CEO Dana White gives major respect to Dricus du Plessis: 'Don't change anything'

Despite winning a decision, UFC CEO Dana White was impressed enough with Dricus du Plessis'. title defense.

Zain Bando

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

UFC CEO Dana White was in a fiery mood at the post-fight presser for UFC 312, which saw Dricus du Plessis successfully defend his UFC middleweight championship against former champion Sean Strickland by unanimous decision.

Out of a multitude of things discussed, White, who has finished back-to-back trips between Saudi Arabia and Australia in recent weeks, liked what he saw from du Plessis.

Dana White Praises Dricus du Plessis' Performance

"Don't listen to the s*** that I say," White said after the event. "Whatever he's doing [du Plessis], it works. He's the world champion. How do you spar for a guy like that? Don't change anything that he's doing on account of what I say."

UFC 312 live results & highlights for Dricus du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland 2

Following the fight, du Plessis spoke to UFC.com and chronicled the key difference between the UFC 297 fight and his UFC 312 performance.

Dricus du Plessis dominated Sean Strickland in their rematch at UFC 312.
Dricus du Plessis dominated Sean Strickland in their rematch at UFC 312. / (Zuffa LLC)

"This was me proving I did beat him and just doing it in more spectacular fashion," du Plessis said.

Khamzat Chimaev Reacts To Du Plessis' Win

As for what's next, White said the choice is rather obvious – Khamzat Chimaev. Chimaev is fresh off a submission win against former champion Robert Whittaker late last year to put himself in line for his long-awaited title shot.

Khamzat Chimaev fights Kevin Holland during UFC 279 at T-Mobile Arena.
Khamzat Chimaev prepares to fight Kevin Holland during UFC 279 at T-Mobile Arena. / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Chimaev even had his own reaction to the fight, keeping it short and sweet.

"Biggest bull**** is this fight," Chimaev tweeted.

Weili Zhang hands Tatiana Suarez first loss in dominant UFC 312 title defense

This tweet was likely in reference to Strickland earning a rematch after beating Paulo Costa, while Chimaev defeated a former champion when coming off his own layoff.

Khamzat Chimaev made short work of Robert Whittaker at UFC 308.
Khamzat Chimaev made short work of Robert Whittaker at UFC 308. / (Craig Kidwell/MMA Junkie)

Nevertheless, it's clear the middleweight division has the clarity it has needed for quite a bit. Now, it's up to the UFC to move forward with it.

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Zain Bando
ZAIN BANDO

Zain Bando is a writer for MMA Knockout, part of the Sports Illustrated/Minute Media umbrella. He has covered combat sports since 2019 for notable outlets BJPenn.com and FanSided MMA. He also co-hosts a podcast called "The MMA Outsiders," part of the Empty The Bench Podcast Network, which airs Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. A Chicago suburban native, Bando has been enthralled with MMA since 2006 and has been fortunate to attend some of the most high-profile events in the sport's history, both as a fan and media member, including UFC 264, Bellator 297 and Kayla Harrison's PFL MMA debut. He is excited to take the next step in his combat sports writing journey and looks forward to continuing his following of the fight game for years to come. Bando can be reached via email at zainbando99@gmail.com or by social media @zainbando99

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