Sean Strickland is a big underdog for his UFC 328 main event against Khamzat Chimaev.
But former middleweight champion, Dricus Du Plessis, believes Strickland will “surprise some people” with his performance on Sat. night (May 9) at Prudential Center in Newark. Having faced both “Tarzan” and “Borz,” Du Plessis gives the strength advantage to Strickland.
“Stillknocks” defeated Strickland at UFC 297 and then again at UFC 312.
“The first round is going to tell us so much about this fight,” Du Plessis told
Fight Forecast. “I know Khamzat is going to get him down. I’ve taken Strickland down so many times. I know Khamzat is going to get him down, but to keep him there? That’s going to be the big question. Because Strickland’s ability to get up, the technique he uses, the strength he has. He’s a strong guy, a lot stronger than Khamzat on a physical level. I think he’s going to surprise some people. If Strickland gets up two or three times in the first round, it’s not going to get easier with the sweat and the fatigue, trying to keep a guy down that gets up. It uses a lot more energy than the guy getting up.”
Du Plessis was blanked on the scorecards in his Chimaev fight at UFC 319.
“Strickland has the cardio, we’ve seen that,” Du Plessis added. “Once Khamzat has to fight Strickland’s fight, I just don’t think he has a chance. Khamzat throws – he hits hard, he kicks hard, but not scary hard, and he’s kind of predictable. And with a guy like Strickland, some of the best defense in the whole of MMA. You’re not going to catch him with something if you don’t set it up. I don’t think Khamzat has the skills to set that knockout up, but it’s fighting. He can catch you. If Khamzat takes him down in that first round, holds him down, and Strickland cannot get up, it’s Khamzat’s fight. But, I do believe Strickland has every tool to not let that happen and maybe snatch that title away. I think the first round is going to tell us how that fight is going to play out.”
For the rest of the UFC 328 fight card and Paramount+ lineup click here.
