Dricus du Plessis Explains Why Sean Strickland is "So Hard to Beat"

Few fighters in the UFC middleweight division generate as much debate as Sean Strickland. He rarely throws flashy wheel kicks or highlight-reel flying knees, yet he consistently finds ways to leave the Octagon with his hand raised. If you ask former middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis, that frustrating success is no accident.

Speaking recently on the Fight Forecast podcast, du Plessis broke down what makes Strickland such a nightmarish puzzle to solve at 185 pounds.

“He is very fit, he can always go five rounds, and he’s so good at dragging people into his style,” du Plessis said.

According to the South African star, Strickland's real superpower lies in his underrated defensive grappling and unmatched engine. While fans often focus on his orthodox jab-and-teep striking, his resilience on the mat is what breaks opponents mentally. Du Plessis pointed to Strickland's battle against elite wrestler Khamzat Chimaev as the ultimate proof of his defensive chops.

Forcing Fighters Into His World

Chimaev blew through his energy early on, but trying to finish a human cardio machine in the opening minutes comes at a steep cost. Once Strickland weathered the initial storm, the momentum tilted permanently.

“When Khamzat couldn’t enforce his style, he had that first round, he got very tired because he worked very hard,” du Plessis explained. “Strickland is very good on the ground, especially defensively.”

Du Plessis noted that once Strickland started stuffing takedowns, Chimaev was forced into a grueling striking battle in deep waters.

“When he started stopping Khamzat’s takedowns, Khamzat got tired and he got forced to fight Strickland’s fight — and Strickland wins that every single time,” du Plessis said.

That ability to dictate the pace is also why du Plessis favors Strickland in a potential title rematch against Nassourdine Imavov, comparing Imavov's hit-and-run movement to Israel Adesanya. For du Plessis, once Strickland denies your initial game plan, you're stuck surviving five rounds in his world.