![Dricus du Plessis (right) fires back at Sean Strickland (left) for challenging him to "be a man" and not wrestle at UFC 312 [Images courtesy: Getty Images]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/509d5-17375400058337-1920.jpg)
![Dricus du Plessis (right) fires back at Sean Strickland (left) for challenging him to "be a man" and not wrestle at UFC 312 [Images courtesy: Getty Images]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Dricus du Plessis and Sean Strickland are preparing to go to war at UFC 312 on Feb. 8 for the middleweight title. The pair will headline the pay-per-view card, which takes place in Australia.
Ahead of their upcoming title bout, 'Tarzan' has issued a challenge to the South African. Strickland suggested they agree to a "pact" stipulating that they would not use any grappling during their clash 'Down Under'.
The former champion stated that the middleweight duo should "settle their s**t like men", as he said:
"Listen, Dutchman, I'm gonna need you to be a f*cking man. I'ma need you to stand up, not go to your knees and we're gonna f*cking strike like men."
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Check out Sean Strickland's offer below:
'Stillknocks' has issued a response to his upcoming opponent, and did not take the bait laid out by Strickland. Du Plessis replied with the following:
"There are no pacts between Lions and men."
Check out Dricus du Plessis' response below:
With Strickland only holding one submission win since 2014 compared to du Plessis, who has nine submissions in the same period, it appears that 'Tarzan' may be pushing his opponent to stay standing for a tactical reason.
Sean Strickland's coach previews gameplan ahead of Dricus du Plessis rematch
Dricus du Plessis made history against Sean Strickland at UFC 297 by becoming the first South African to lay claim to UFC gold. 'Stillknocks' successfully defended the title against Israel Adesanya in his next bout at UFC 305, and is several weeks away from his anticipated rematch with Strickland.
Ahead of UFC 312, set to take place at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia, the longtime coach of 'Tarzan' has shared a preview of their gameplan against du Plessis.
Eric Nicksick, who operates as the head coach of Xtreme Couture MMA gym, was recently interviewed by Inside Fighting, where he said:
"You know, dude, Sean, you gotta be a dog, man. You really have to take the fight to this guy. Just kind of sitting back and jabbing your way through the fight... A lot of judges lose sight of that jab, although it's effective and it's scoring. We need to find some other things that are going to help that scoring criteria look better on our part and that's part of our gameplan."
Check out Sean Strickland's coach's comments below (6:55):
