Sean Strickland bashed for ‘false promise’ as UFC 312 main event gets decided by judges 

Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland's performance against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 faces intense scrutiny.

Sean Strickland bashed for ‘false promise’ as UFC 312 main event gets decided by judges 

Sean Strickland gets berated for failing to win against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 (Image via UFC)

The onlookers at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia, witnessed one of the most intense five-round battles in recent UFC middleweight division history. The second UFC pay-per-view event (UFC 312) of 2025 garnered significant attention from fight fans. As such, it featured a grudge match between the UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland.

In the lead-up to the fight, both Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland exchanged several warnings towards each other. Strickland, in particular, promised to bring the fight to the UFC middleweight champion. However, contrary to expectations, the fight took an unexpected turn as Du Plessis demonstrated his MMA skills right from the start.

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Unlike his previous fight against Israel Adesanya, Du Plessis adopted a steadier approach against Strickland at UFC 312. However, as the rounds progressed, the South African fighter’s complex, unorthodox style caused issues for ‘Tarzan.’ Strickland struggled to anticipate Du Plessis’s movements, as he continued to throw hooks from various angles.

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In the fourth round, Du Plessis even succeeded in breaking Strickland’s nose, which was quite evident to the onlookers. With consistent pressure throughout the rounds, the South African fighter ultimately won the match by unanimous decision from the judges. This defeat was reminiscent of their previous encounter, as Strickland faced a similar outcome against Du Plessis.

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Fight fans react to Sean Strickland’s poor performance against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312

Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis previously fought at UFC 297, where the South African defeated Strickland to become the middleweight champion. However, following the fight, Strickland was quite displeased with the split decision result, believing he had actually defeated Du Plessis. Consequently, the grudge match at UFC 312 held significant importance for Strickland.

Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland in action at UFC 312
Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland in action at UFC 312 (Image via UFC)

The performance that Strickland delivered was surprisingly different from what fight fans expected. As a result, netizens quickly reacted to the American fighter’s defeat against Du Plessis. Notably, several well-known UFC fighters also voiced their criticisms of Strickland. Check out some of the reactions below.

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With that dominant defeat, Strickland may have positioned himself away from the title picture once again. On the other hand, DDP further solidified his reign with his second successful title defense. It will be interesting to see who these two UFC middleweight fighters face next.

Related: Sean Strickland Net Worth, Endorsements, UFC contract, Wife and House