The tension between Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis has escalated ahead of their middleweight championship bout at UFC 297, with their rivalry featuring both verbal and physical altercations, including a brawl at UFC 296.
Jon Anik, a familiar face in the MMA world, has been watching the escalating tension between Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis. It’s like a pot about to boil over, right before their middleweight championship bout.
The two are headlining UFC 297 in Toronto this Saturday. Strickland’s title is on the line for the first time since he snatched it from Israel Adesanya last September.
The Strickland-du Plessis rivalry has been, well, intense. Some might even say it’s gotten a bit uncomfortable. Anik, however, sees a clear line between verbal spats and physical confrontations in fight builds.
The lead-up to Strickland vs. du Plessis? It’s had both. From the pre-fight press conference in December to their brawl at UFC 296, it’s been quite the spectacle.
“It’s tough, you know?” Anik told MMA Fighting. “Words versus actions, they’re two different things. Take Colby Covington, for example. He’s always crossing lines with his words, and I sometimes lose track of when trash talk goes too far.”
He continued, “Then, there’s the physical stuff. Like when Jeremy Stephens pushed Drakkar Klose into a concussion. Klose had his hands behind his back, right? Then you have situations like Strickland and du Plessis brawling in the crowd. That’s far more dangerous to me.”
As for the lead-up to UFC 297, Anik wonders if the UFC will use the in-crowd altercation for promotion. “Fans are excited about the matchup and what these guys bring to the table. But, will we repurpose that brawl? I guess we’ll see.”
Anik admits he’s not overly sensitive when it comes to trash talk. “Words don’t affect me as much as actions. Like a Jeremy Stephens push,” he said.
The brawl between Strickland and du Plessis happened at UFC 296. They were sitting oddly close to each other, a seating arrangement Dana White, UFC CEO, took full responsibility for.
Anik finds it hard to compare this situation to anything else. “It’s a unicorn-type situation,” he said.
“You can’t please everyone,” Anik explained. “But this is not the norm. How often has this happened? Never. Between two guys about to fight a pay-per-view prior? It just doesn’t happen.”
Du Plessis is on a roll, heading into his first UFC title opportunity. He’s on an eight-fight win streak, including six UFC wins. His second-round knockout of former champ Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 turned heads.
The big question for Strickland is if he can keep his cool. Can he take what du Plessis has said about him and his past and channel those emotions into smart decision-making?
Anik believes Strickland can handle the pressure. “I don’t worry about him come Jan. 20 in Toronto, whatsoever. He was completely locked in from moment one against Israel Adesanya in Sydney. I think he can channel any emotion that comes with this rivalry in the right way.”
“Dricus du Plessis is a bit misunderstood,” Anik added. “He’s a truth-teller, and sometimes his words get spun a bit. But he talks the talk, and man, has he walked the walk. His win over Robert Whittaker last summer was huge. So, it’s a hell of a main event.”