"Had to reset it 3 times" - Sean Strickland's statement on UFC 312 nose break earns classy remark from Dricus du Plessis but mixed reaction from fans

Dricus Du Plessis successfully defended his UFC middleweight title at UFC 312, earning a dominant unanimous decision win over Sean Strickland. The fight was competitive early, but du Plessis gradually took control, landing heavier strikes.

In the fourth round, a clean right hand shattered Strickland’s nose, leaving him bloodied and struggling to mount any significant offense. Du Plessis continued his relentless attack in the final round, securing a decisive victory with scores of 50-45, 50-45, and 49-46.

After the fight, Strickland took to social media to share his thoughts, revealing that he had to reset his broken nose three times during the bout. He wrote:

"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!

Check out Sean Strickland's Instagram post below:

Du Plessis responded with a classy remark, calling Strickland a warrior and expressing his respect for their battle:

"Absolute warrior. Honour sharing the octagon with you once again."

Meanwhile, some fans admired Strickland's toughness and resilience, while others criticized his performance, claiming he lacked aggression. They wrote:

"You tried your best buddy. I would've never let him do me like that though."

"You threw that fight away, dude you weren't even trying and it broke my heart."

"World gave you lemons and you made whiskey, keep the head up, guy."

"Heart is as broken as your nose Sean. You need to start listening to your coaches fr [for real]."

"What’s that saying “ every man dies, not every man lives”. Stoked your living mate!!!"

Check out some of the fan reactions below:

Fans react to Sean Strickland's statement after UFC 312 loss. [Screenshots courtesy: @stricklandmma on Instagram]

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UFC analyst criticizes Sean Strickland's performance at UFC 312

UFC analyst Din Thomas has criticized Sean Strickland’s performance in his UFC 312 title fight loss against Dricus Du Plessis. Thomas expressed disappointment, stating that Strickland did not fight the way he had promised.

Strickland, known for his aggressive talk, seemingly failed to deliver with the same intensity in the fight, relying on a jab-heavy approach. Despite suffering a broken nose, he did not push forward or take risks, which frustrated fans and analysts alike. His coach, Eric Nicksick, repeatedly urged him to change tactics, but Strickland stuck to his usual defensive style.

Shedding light on Strickland's performance in the ESPN MMA post-fight recap, Thomas said:

"We just have to admit it now... Sean Strickland is not who he says he is…He’s not the guy who’s going to go to the death, ‘To the death.’ He didn’t go to the death. He didn’t even go deep. I’m not saying he’s not a great fighter. I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve to be where he’s at. But he’s not who he says he is."

Check out Din Thomas' comments below: