UFC 296 Video: Sean Strickland, Dricus Du Plessis Involved in Ugly Brawl

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland was caught in a brawl with bitter rival Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 296 on December 16.

Sean Strickland landed more punches in this scuffle than Dillon Danis did against Logan Paul. pic.twitter.com/8IKLqlCJqu
— MMA Roasted (@MMARoasted) December 17, 2023

Footage shows Strickland and Du Plessis scrapping before being pulled apart by security at the event. Du Plessis appears to be lifting Strickland by the hips whilst Strickland strikes him from the top.

The two collapse to the floor before being separated.

HOLY CRAP SEAN STRICKLAND AND DRICUS DU PLESSIS GOT INTO IT!!! Had to be separated #UFC296 pic.twitter.com/igZclEMwp5
— Helen Yee (@HelenYeeSports) December 17, 2023

The two middleweights were rather amicable before the events of the UFC seasonal press conference on December 15.

In response to his manhood being challenged by Strickland, Du Plessis brought up Strickland's troubled past with his father:

"Bro you think your Dad beat the s*** out of you? Your dad doesn’t have s*** on me... every childhood memory you have is gonna come back when I’m in there with you."

Strickland admitted it struck a nerve, and later consolidated his thoughts on Twitter:

I expect nothing less from O'Malley and Dricus. Next time come at me as a man... Clearly you don't know what that means......

I just wanna say one thing that I feel needs to be said.. There are a lot of kids out there who have been abused and molested and it's a damn tragic… https://t.co/NHbjcnKlwG
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) December 16, 2023

"I expect nothing less from O'Malley and Dricus. Next time come at me as a man... Clearly you don't know what that means......

"I just wanna say one thing that I feel needs to be said.. There are a lot of kids out there who have been abused and molested and it's a damn tragic thing that forever changes you. How you function, how you view the world, how you treat relationships, how you handle addiction and for someone to put you down with that level of trauma on a world stage is an utter disgrace.

"I have a big following of people who suffered trauma, molestation and I will tell you that it's not funny to me, whatever you've gone through or have been through isn't funny to me........ I hope you all understand that these are weak men who don't understand hardship, they don't understand what it's like to live with demons... Forever a struggle they will never understand."

Strickland will have his chance for redemption in the main event of UFC 297 on January 21.

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