Dricus du Plessis successfully defended his middleweight title against Sean Strickland at UFC 312. The bout, a rematch of their previous encounter, concluded with du Plessis securing a unanimous decision victory.
During the battle, du Plessis demonstrated exceptional control and striking. He delivered a strong right hand in the fourth round that broke Strickland's nose, which was a crucial moment of the fight.
Following the bout, Strickland took to Instagram to reflect on the fight and his injury. His post read:
"Couldn't ask for a better life......🙏 ALSO they make setting a broken nose look way harder in movies. I think I had to reset it 3 times in the fight. At this point I might be an expert lol!"
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In Strickland's corner for this event was Alex Pereira, the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion. Pereira's presence added a notable dynamic to the fight, given his own history in the middleweight division.
Reacting to Strickland's Instagram post, Pereira's sister, Aline Pereira, showed her support:
"🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥👏👏👏👏👏".
![Aline Pereira reacts to Sean Strickland's recent post on Instagram [Screenshot courtesy: @stricklandmma on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/02/cdf7b-17392720632068-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/02/cdf7b-17392720632068-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/02/cdf7b-17392720632068-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/02/cdf7b-17392720632068-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/02/cdf7b-17392720632068-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/02/cdf7b-17392720632068-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/02/cdf7b-17392720632068-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/02/cdf7b-17392720632068-1920.jpg 1920w)
Aline Pereira has been making significant strides in the combat sports world. She competed in Glory Kickboxing and contended for the super bantamweight title in 2021, and has recently found success in Karate Combat.
“Losing sucks, but we all lose in life” - Sean Strickland issued a candid statement after UFC 312 setback
Following his loss to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 312 in Sydney, Sean Strickland addressed his supporters through a heartfelt social media message. He began by expressing deep gratitude, and then went on to acknowledge du Plessis' performance, noting the severity of his own injuries, including a broken nose sustained during the bout.
'Tarzan' humorously remarked on the experience, saying:
"Dricus f—ing hats off, hell of a fight, broke my nose in six places. The silver lining is my nose is so broken it's really easy to reset, so that was a new experience."
Reflecting on the broader implications of loss, Strickland shared insights on embracing hardship. He stated:
"I get so many messages from fans, friends, family, like, 'Hold your head up, it's OK.' I'm good. Losing sucks, but we all lose in life, and I talk to so many people whether they lose their job, their girlfriend breaks up with them, and they just find themselves in this hole, but me, I love the misery."