Former middleweight champion (up to 83,9kg) and still eyeing the next steps towards the category's belt, Sean Strickland has strong opinions about the fight between Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 on August 16th. A rival of both athletes, the American didn't hesitate to name his favorite for the duel.
Aware of the Emirati's great grappling skills, Strickland warned Du Plessis about the pressure from the title challenger, but did not rule out the champion's triumph if he can weather the initial storm of the fight.
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"Dricus has a better stand-up game than Chimaev, but Chimaev has a very aggressive grappling game. I've trained with these Dagestani terrorists my whole life. I know how to get up against these guys and weather a storm. I don't know if he (Dricus) has ever faced this level of wrestling, which can leave him a little unprepared. Dricus really needs to be prepared for extreme pressure on the ground. If he can withstand that, he'll defeat him," Strickland said during a video released at the Xtreme Couture gym.
Defeated twice by Du Plessis, Strickland managed to reach the judges' decision on both occasions, but his arm was not raised, despite disagreeing with the scoring in the first fight. Since then, the fighter has been hoping for another chance to become champion, but he is currently suspended due to disciplinary actions.
The main event fighters of UFC 319, Du Plessis and Chimaev, will face off on August 16th in Chicago (USA). To date, Du Plessis is undefeated in his professional MMA career and is considered the favorite by bookmakers.
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