Du Plessis Shocks Fans With Bold Prediction For Sean Strickland vs Khamzat Chimaev At UFC 328!
Sean Strickland faces the biggest challenge of his career when he steps into the octagon at UFC 328. The former middleweight champion takes on current titleholder Khamzat Chimaev on May 10th in Newark, New Jersey.
Most fans and analysts expect Chimaev to dominate Strickland with his overwhelming grappling ability. The Chechen-born undefeated fighter has steamrolled through the middleweight division since moving up from welterweight. His most recent performance came against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319. Chimaev controlled that fight completely with his wrestling and ground control.
But now, Du Plessis has shocked fans with bold prediction for Sean Strickland vs Khamzat Chimaev. Having fought both men, his take has weight and it is garnering attention from the fans and analysts alike.
Dricus Du Plessis Believes Strickland Can Win The Striking Battle
The former champion appeared on SA Boxing Talk recently and broke down the upcoming title fight. He shared insights from fighting both men and explained why Strickland possesses the tools to potentially upset Chimaev. Du Plessis knows both fighters extremely well from sharing the octagon with them multiple times.
He defeated Strickland twice during their rivalry. Their first meeting at UFC 297 ended in a controversial split decision favoring du Plessis. The rematch at UFC 312 was more definitive, with du Plessis earning a clear unanimous decision victory. So the South African understands Strickland’s capabilities better than most people in the sport right now.
“In the striking, he definitely beats Khamzat for sure. Khamzat is a problem to deal with when he has you on your back. We’ve seen that many times…I think he has a very good chance in that fight”
According to du Plessis, Strickland holds a significant advantage in the striking department against Chimaev. The real question becomes whether Strickland can keep the fight standing long enough to implement his striking game. Chimaev’s wrestling credentials are absolutely elite at the highest levels of competition.
The former Swedish freestyle wrestling champion uses his grappling to neutralize opponents who possess superior striking skills. He did exactly that against du Plessis, taking him down repeatedly and controlling him on the canvas. Du Plessis spent most of that fight looking up at the ceiling while Chimaev rained down punches and maintained dominant positions.
SHOP: Kickboxing Equipment
Sean Strickland’s Cage Wrestling Could Be The Difference
Du Plessis offered an interesting perspective on Strickland’s ability to defend takedowns and get back to his feet. He took Sean Strickland down seven times during their fights together. But holding Strickland down proved incredibly difficult despite achieving those takedowns successfully.
“With Strickland, what he does brilliantly… I took Strickland down, I think, seven times. The way he gets up, to hold him down, is incredibly hard.”
That skill could prove crucial against Chimaev’s relentless grappling pressure throughout five championship rounds. Strickland trains at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, a gym famous for cage wrestling techniques. The facility specializes in teaching fighters how to get back to their feet quickly after being taken down. Du Plessis also mentioned that Strickland is way stronger than people realize just by watching him fight.
The strength factor matters significantly when defending takedowns and standing back up against elite grapplers. Chimaev relies heavily on his physical dominance to impose his will on opponents. But if Strickland can match that strength and use proper technique, he might frustrate Chimaev’s game plan completely.
The upcoming fight between Strickland and Chimaev will answer many questions about both fighters. Can Strickland’s cage wrestling and striking keep Chimaev at bay for twenty-five minutes? Or will Khamzat Chimaev impose his will like he did against du Plessis and other opponents? These questions will be answered at UFC 328 on May 10!
(Image Credit: DAZN/YouTube)
Recent posts
