Former foe says first round will be critical in UFC 328 main event

Dricus Du Plessis’ opinion certainly holds water when it comes to Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland.

Chimaev is set to put his middleweight title on the line against Strickland in the main event at UFC 328 on May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Having shared the Octagon with both Chimaev and Strickland, Du Plessis recently broke down how the fight might play out.

While Du Plessis doesn’t doubt that Strickland will be taken down, he believes the American is physically stronger than Chimaev and has the skills to return to his feet. While Chimaev hits hard, Du Plessis believes he is too predictable to catch someone like Strickland, who is known for his defense, with a lucky shot. According to Du Plessis, if Strickland gets up more than a couple of times in the first two rounds, the fight won’t go Chimaev’s way. However, Du Plessis thinks Chimaev will dominate if he can control Strickland on the ground throughout the first round.

“I know Khamzat’s going to get him down,” Du Plessis told Fight Forecast. “I’ve taken Strickland down so many times, I know Khamzat’s going to get him down. But to keep him there, that’s going to be the big question. Because Strickland’s ability to get up, the technique he uses, the strength he has; he is a strong guy, a lot stronger than Khamzat, physically. I think he is going to surprise some people. If Strickland gets up two or three times in that first round or the first two, it’s not going to get any easier with the sweat and fatigue, trying to keep a guy down that gets up… Once Khamzat has to fight Strickland’s fight, I just don’t think he has a chance. Khamzat hits hard, kick hard, but not scary hard. And he is kind of predictable; you can see the shots coming. If Khamzat takes him down, holds him down that first round, and Strickland cannot get up, it’s Khamzat’s fight… I think that first round is going to tell us how that fight is going to play out.”

Du Plessis (23-3) dethroned Strickland (30-7) via a controversial split decision to win the title in their first clash at UFC 297 in 2024. Du Plessis defended his title more decisively in a rematch against Strickland at UFC 312 last year. Meanwhile, Chimaev (15-0) dominated Du Plessis on the ground for five rounds to win the title at this past August.