Dricus du Plessis celebrates Sean Strickland beating Khamzat Chimaev: ‘I guess this makes me world champion again’

TL;DR

Dricus du Plessis celebrates Sean Strickland's victory over Khamzat Chimaev, suggesting it reinstates his status as a top contender for the UFC middleweight title. Du Plessis previously defeated Strickland twice, positioning him for a potential title shot.

Key points

Dricus du Plessis celebrates Sean Strickland's win over Khamzat Chimaev.
Strickland is now the UFC middleweight champion.
Du Plessis has two victories over Strickland.
Du Plessis is positioned for a potential title shot.
Chimaev's reign as champion ended quickly.

Dricus du PlessisSean StricklandKhamzat ChimaevUFC 328

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 16: Dricus Du Plessis of South Africa prepares to face Khamzat Chimaev of Russia in the UFC middleweight championship fight during the UFC 319 event at the United Center on August 16, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)

Outside of Sean Strickland, nobody may be happier about his win over Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 than former middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis.

The South African fighter claimed the 185-pound belt with a win over Strickland and then put on an even more dominant showcase to beat him again in their rematch. But du Plessis’ fortune changed dramatically after Chimaev took him down repeatedly and just drained the life out of him when they met this past August.

The win crowned Chimaev as champion but now his reign is already over and Strickland is once again sitting atop the middleweight division. With two wins over him, du Plessis is obviously in a great position to look for a third fight and a chance to reclaim UFC gold again.

“Fight went exactly the way I thought it would,” du Plessis said after the UFC 328 main event ended. “Great, great fight by Strickland. Like I said, it’s so hard to keep that man on the ground. He is incredibly tough to hold down. He made Khamzat tired and that’s exactly what happened I knew and like I said in the standup [Khamzat] just won’t be able to hang with him.

“Congratulations. I guess this makes me world champion again.”

There was also video showing du Plessis celebrating Strickland’s win and he was definitely smiling ear to ear while giving his own applause for the result.

While du Plessis finds himself in a much better position now than he would have been with Chimaev retaining the title, he almost certainly still has to compete again before he could get a third crack at Strickland.

Add to that, Strickland said after the fight he wants to take a break after back-to-back training camps for the past six months getting ready for Chiamev and Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez. He also named Nassourdine Imavov as the most likely top contender to get the first shot at the title now that he’s champion again.

Q&A

How did Sean Strickland become the UFC middleweight champion?

Sean Strickland became the UFC middleweight champion by defeating Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328.

What is Dricus du Plessis' history with Sean Strickland?

Dricus du Plessis has two victories over Sean Strickland, which enhances his claim for a title shot following Strickland's recent win.

What impact does Strickland's win have on Dricus du Plessis' career?

Strickland's win over Chimaev potentially positions Dricus du Plessis for a third fight against Strickland and a chance to reclaim the UFC middleweight title.