"I dog walked Izzy" - Sean Strickland gets brutally honest about Dricus du Plessis' striking prowess ahead of UFC 312 clash

Sean Strickland isn’t holding back as he gears up for his rematch against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 312. After losing the middleweight title via split decision at UFC 297, Strickland has made it clear that he doesn’t see du Plessis as an elite striker.

Breaking down their last fight, Strickland admitted he and his team could have made better adjustments to avoid a close decision. However, he refuses to call it a robbery, instead taking accountability for not sealing the win. Looking ahead, he’s determined to leave no doubt this time, either finishing du Plessis or dominating him over five rounds.

Strickland also took the opportunity to remind everyone of his striking superiority, pointing to his lopsided victory over Israel Adesanya at UFC 293. He dismissed du Plessis' style as wild and inefficient but acknowledged that it still manages to be effective.

Previewing the fight in the UFC 312 Countdown episode, Strickland said:

“The thing about Dricus is, he does nothing right but it always works out. He fights hard. You just got to have your hands where they need to be, have your hips where they need to be. I think my striking is light years better than his. Izzy was beating him [du Plessis] in the striking [department]. I dog walked Izzy.”

Check out Sean Strickland's comments below:

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Sean Strickland warns Islam Makhachev against middleweight move

Islam Makhachev’s ambition to become a three-division UFC champion has sparked significant debate. Sean Strickland advises against a move to middleweight. Makhachev, currently the lightweight champion, put his welterweight plans on hold because his close associate Belal Muhammad holds the title.

These circumstances made him consider a jump to 185 pounds, where Strickland will rematch Dricus du Plessis for the middleweight title at UFC 312. Strickland acknowledged Makhachev’s talent but pointed out that weight classes exist for a reason. He believes a jump to welterweight makes more sense but sees middleweight as a dangerous challenge.

Speaking about Makhachev's plan in an interview with MMA Junkie, Strickland said:

"We fought on the same card once, right? Bro, I actually really like that guy. He’s actually a really f*cking good dude, which is funny because I think a lot of Muslims don’t like me because I talk a lot of sh*t. But he’s a good dude." [H/t: MMA Junkie]

Strickland added:

“There’s weight classes for a f*cking reason. Stay in your weight class, maybe do 170, but there are weight classes for a f*cking reason, dude. I don’t want to talk too much sh*t on you because I like you, but stay in your weight class.”

Check out Sean Strickland's comments below (11:30):