Teammate reveals he threatened to "cripple" Sean Strickland in fistfight ahead of Dricus du Plessis clash

Tensions flared at Sean Strickland’s training camp ahead of his highly anticipated rematch with Dricus du Plessis at UFC 312, set for Feb. 8, at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.

During the UFC Vegas 101 media day, middleweight fighter Chris Curtis, a longtime teammate of Strickland, shared details of a heated altercation he had with 'Tarzan' during camp. Curtis revealed that their intense sparring sessions escalated into a near fistfight, leading him to threaten Strickland:

"There are times when I have debated hitting him with a brick. Like, not even joking, I'm like, 'Bro, I'm gonna hit you with a f**king brick.' Like, I don't care where it goes...This time led to a fistfight as well. And we were really about to throw down, and the entire gym was like, 'Are you guys really doing this?' And I'm, like, threatening to cripple him before he fights Dricus. 'I was like, 'I will f**king cripple you!' So, yeah, we get out of hand."

Check out Chris Curtis' comments below:

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Chris Curtis shared bold prediction for Dricus du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland title rematch

With Sean Strickland set to face Dricus du Plessis in a highly anticipated rematch for the UFC middleweight title, the former's teammate Chris Curtis has offered his unique perspective on the fight. Their first encounter at UFC 297 ended in a split decision, with Du Plessis claiming the 185-pound championship.

Curtis described Du Plessis' unorthodox fighting style as chaotic yet effective. Speaking to MMA Junkie, he remarked:

“Fighting Dricus is like fighting a coked-out chimpanzee in a phone booth...You’re just like, what’s happening? But I think it’s really overwhelming and surprising for guys because you’re like, who fights like this? What are you doing? And the dude is just out of his mind, trying to win."

Curtis believes du Plessis' unpredictable approach caught Strickland off guard in their initial clash. However, Curtis pointed to du Plessis' lone career rematch against Roberto Soldic, where he was knocked out after winning their first fight:

"I wonder how that goes, because his only rematch with Soldic, he lost... I kind of think it’s kind of telling to where once guys figure that out, you learn what to look for.”

Curtis noted that Strickland could benefit from this familiarity in their second meeting.

Check out Chris Curtis' prediction of Dricus Du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland below:

Despite acknowledging du Plessis' ability to adapt, Curtis expressed confidence in Strickland, calling him one of the hardest-working fighters he's ever met.