Dricus Du Plessis breaks silence on fighting style trolls from rivals Sean Strickland and others

Dricus Du Plessis talks about his awkward fight style in the build-up to UFC 312 VS. Sean Strickland at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.

Dricus Du Plessis breaks silence on fighting style trolls from rivals Sean Strickland and others

Dricus Du Plessis discusses awkward fight style ahead of UFC 312 VS. Sean Strickland (Source: IMAGO/X)

In just a few hours, the UFC 312 PPV (Pay-per-view) main event could provide a prejudice that combat fans highly clamor for. Sean Strickland rematches Dricus Du Plessis for the UFC 185-pound title after a rivalry and willful ambitions a whole year in the making. However, both their fight styles (Du Plessis even more so) are hard to decipher.

UFC 312 title challenger Sean Strickland will aim to teep off with defensive shelled-boxing (Philly) and create a power flow as he does. Dricus Du Plessis though has a fight style that’s hard to put a striking jargon to. UFC CEO and headman Dana White once said that he fights with kill shots like a white man dances in a trance while partying!

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Strickland, who spent 25 minutes in a cage with him in last January’s pay-per-view (PPV) schedule, called his style highly effective. But during his UFC 312 PPV fighter check-in Q&A, he told Daniel Cormier that he fights like a ‘ret*rd’ off the short bus! DDP once gave a brief glimpse of his equal parts bravado and sneaky technicality.

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I’ve gotten that criticism of my style, from my first fight…The very first one…Listen — I give myself a six, maybe a six and half out of ten. For what I think I can do in terms of technique…My style, as..as ugly as it seems, or as awkward as it seems, that style was developed by us, by my coach because we saw that as the style to beat your elite strikers. To beat your elite wrestlers! It doesn’t look conventional because it isn’t; it is the style of the one man who has the title in the middleweight division…

Dricus Du Plessis during UFC 312 Media Day fighter interview media round availabilities

Former Du Plesis foes Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker recently had an ‘organic’ link up at the CityKickboxing NZ gym. Afterward, the duo reviewed the UFC 312 title scrap for Adesanya’s YT channel at his home. Dricus Du Plessis answered to their critique that it wasn’t even slightly in a derogatory term.

It was more like how is such an awkward fight style still persisting. “Stillknocks” claims Team CIT (South Africa) tailored the style only for him; consequently it fits. His ability to adapt to different fighting styles and read his opponent’s movements sets him apart.

What is Dricus Du Plessis’ fighting style?

Du Plessis has a background in kickboxing, judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, He uses a combination of striking and grappling in his bouts. Known for his submission skills and heavy hands, he touts neat records too. Dricus Du Plessis won the WAKO Junior World Championships at —86kg and had a 33-0 amateur kickboxing record! No wonder he could hamper Izzy’s spatial understanding. Du Plessis submitted Adesanya of all via submission (rear-naked choke) – R4, 3:38, last August.

Champ Dricus Du Plessis boasts an awkward kickboxing-grappling style
Champ Dricus Du Plessis boasts an awkward kickboxing-grappling style (Source: X)

He makes the walk ESPN2/Disney+ and 10 p.m. ET for the main card on pay-per-view (via ESPN+) in just a while. DDP will be boasting a plethora of skills that make him more unique than even Sean Strickland!

UFC 312 title challenger Strickland is infamous for his anti-wrestling wracking stance and awkward boxing, whereas DDP rides the wave with aggressive forward pressure and spaced-out effective timing. He ranges it wide and clear to make it work against all level changes and all heights. Du Plessis would even reach when against the fence!

He has a serviceable grapple where he can break the barrier with his awkward fighting style and get strong inside the clinch. After chaining up combos, he utilizes submissions to transitions to hold and gas out. A winner of he WAKO World Championship in K-1-style kickboxing regional titles, he makes his strikes awkward but hard! A Switch-stance with 76″ reach, he pulls away with the narrowest differences and puts to sleep quite easy.

Related: Dricus Du Plessis Net Worth, Endorsements, UFC contract, Wife and House