South African EFC Champion Dethrones Strickland to Win UFC Middleweight Title

TORONTO — In a historic moment for South African MMA, welterweight champion Du Plessis dethroned Strickland to become the first UFC middleweight champion from the country. The intense battle took place at Scotiabank Arena during UFC 297, leaving the crowd on the edge of their seats.

Du Plessis emerged victorious in a split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47) that could have easily swung in Strickland’s favor. After years of hard work, dreams, and sacrifices, Du Plessis described the moment as a culmination of his journey. He expressed his excitement and said, ‘It feels surreal. Amazing. This is history.’

In the early rounds, Strickland showcased his piston-like jab, causing trouble for Du Plessis. The jab’s power and effectiveness left Du Plessis feeling like he was hit with a rock, making it difficult for him to mount his own offense. Du Plessis praised Strickland’s jab, stating that it was deceptive and could easily transition into a left hook.

However, in the third and fourth rounds, Du Plessis turned the tide of the fight by cutting Strickland near his left eye and landing a powerful right hand. Du Plessis revealed that his strategy was to let Strickland dictate the fight in the early rounds and then take control later on. Despite a strong comeback by Strickland in the final round, Du Plessis displayed his durability and silenced doubts about his cardio.

UFC CEO Dana White expressed his belief that Strickland should have won the closely contested bout, stating that you have to ‘take it from the champion.’ In contrast, Du Plessis dismissed any notion that Strickland deserved the victory, calling it ‘bullshit.’ Judges Derek Cleary and Eric Colon scored the fight in favor of Du Plessis, while judge Sal D’Amato gave Strickland the victory.

This match marked the fourth consecutive middleweight title fight in which the champion changed hands. Adesanya defeated Whittaker in November 2022, lost the title to Pereira, reclaimed it, and then relinquished it to Strickland. Du Plessis used this opportunity to call out Adesanya, hoping to face him at UFC 300 in April.

UFC President Dana White expressed confidence in Du Plessis’ ability to headline the UFC’s first event in Africa, a long-standing goal of the promotion. Du Plessis, who currently ranks second in the middleweight division, has an impressive record of nine consecutive victories and now holds a 7-0 record in the UFC.

The South African fighter, hailing from Pretoria, previously held titles in two divisions in EFC and KSW. He recently defeated former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 with a TKO in July. On the other hand, Strickland, a California native training in Las Vegas, won the middleweight title by defeating Adesanya in a dominant unanimous decision at UFC 293.

Both fighters showed tremendous determination and left the octagon bloodied and battered. Du Plessis even made his way to the postfight news conference on crutches, sporting two swollen eyes. He humorously remarked, ‘You remember how handsome I was before the fight? I look like a cauliflower now.’