“If Pereira can, I can do better!” Dricus du Plessis draws inspiration from Alex Pereira’s KO against Sean Strickland to take middleweight belt to South Africa

Dricus du Plessis is convinced that he could take down Sean Strickland with one punch inspired by Alex Pereira's knockout

“If Pereira can, I can do better!” Dricus du Plessis draws inspiration from Alex Pereira’s KO against Sean Strickland to take middleweight belt to South Africa

Dricus du Plessis wants to outperform Alex Pereira ( Image via Imago / X )

South African fighter Dricus Du Plessis is confident he can surpass Alex Pereira‘s knockout of Sean Strickland. Du Plessis will face Strickland at UFC 297 for the middleweight title fight.

Dricus Du Plessis has ambitious aspirations within the UFC. He remains confident in his ability to put Strickland away. In a recent interview with Submission Radio, he talked about a game plan to knock Strickland out. This is what he said: 

I need one shot. I need to land one shot. If Pereira can knock him out, I can knock him out even better.
Dricus Du Plessis via Submission Radio
YouTube video

During their fight, Alex Pereira knocked out Sean Strickland with a brutal left hook. The former kickboxing world champion displayed his striking skills, ultimately putting away Strickland with a thunderous KO. The fight ended in a memorable fashion. Pereira’s devastating left hook remains a kill shot and Strickland could not overcome it.

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Du Plessis expressed his belief in his superior performance. He emphasized that landing a single powerful shot would be enough to take out Strickland. Additionally, he targeted a potential light heavyweight title fight after his bout with Strickland.

Dricus du Plessis aims for UFC light heavyweight division after Sean Strickland fight

Dricus Du Plessis aimed for the light heavyweight title following a potential victory against Sean Strickland at UFC 297. Du Plessis has a professional MMA record of 20 wins and two losses. He competes in the middleweight division of the UFC and is currently ranked #2. His recent streak includes eight consecutive wins, showcasing his impressive performance in the octagon. He has eyed the light heavyweight division in 2024.

Alex Pereira Dricus Du Plessis
Dricus Du Plessis aims light heavyweight title after UFC 297 ( Image via Imago )

Dricus Du Plessis aims for double champion status in the UFC by pursuing middleweight and light heavyweight titles. Du Plessis stated that achieving double champion status depended on how the division unfolded. In his interview with Submission Radio, he said: 

That all depends how the division opens up. I would still love to fight Israel Adesanya... I do want to defend my belt before — obviously, it’s all gonna come down to who I beat and how good I make it look.

The UFC 297 bout between Dricus du Plessis and Sean Strickland will take place at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The event is scheduled for January 2024. It has promised to be a significant matchup, with Dricus du Plessis as the 2nd ranked contender, headlining the event for the UFC Middleweight title.

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