‘Triggered’ Sean Strickland used Dricus du Plessis’ BRUTAL press conference insults as fuel for motivation, reveals coach

The middleweight affair between Sean Strickland and South African phenom Dricus Du Plessis was like any other mundane affair. The booking for 28-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC Strickland’s maiden title defense at UFC 297, is on Jan. 20. The headliner is at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Recently though, the duo had a ringside skirmish at UFC 296, which incited security intervention.

Du Plessis was to face Israel Adesanya for the 185lbs gold but withdrew due to a foot injury. “Tarzan” thus stepped in, defeating the former champion at UFC 293. Now as the top contender and the titleholder build up on their bout, things got a little too messy. Speaking to MMA Junkie Radio on the UFC 296 scuffle here’s what head coach Eric Nicksick had to say:

I think it’s a tough row to (hoe), so you can’t get too emotional about those situations. They are just words, but at the end of the day, I did feel like he [Strickland] was triggered and there was a few days where it just kind of motivated him...The motivation was (already) there, believe me. But I wanted him to understand we need to have the right motivation... He’s been great ever since then. We had a good conversation about that, and I just told him I was proud of him...

Eric Nicksick to MMA Junkie

The incident that the Xtreme Couture head coach nudged in, was the UFC 296 Media Day presser. At the post-fight conference, Du Plessis had cut deep inferring to Strickland’s relationship with abusive father. Hence, a somewhat “triggered” Strickland was ready to pounce on the opponent at the slightest motivation; which is exactly what happened.

Conversely, even Gilbert Burns touched roots on this recently, after he and his wife Bruna witnessed the matter firsthand. Burns disclosed that Strickland gave ‘heads up’ that the UFC 296 brawl with Du Plessis could happen. So it is undoubtedly true that the event fueled the fighter’s motivation.

Dricus Du Plessis considers his title contention the start of a new era

Dricus Du Plessis challenges current middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland in the UFC 297 headliner at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto. However, things have flared up quite a lot before that. The 20-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC challenger for the 185lb gold mouthed off Strickland at UFC 296. “Tarzan” thus lunged at the provocation, triggered due to earlier incidences. However, the fighter later surprisingly revealed no bad blood between them.

Du Plessis thinks that Strickland “stood up for himself” as it should be in a build-up. Moreover, the fighter is unbothered about the violent face-off because he is gearing up for a great chance. As per Du Plessis, this lifetime opportunity of title contention is an era-changing event for him. Check out his full sentiments, in the footage below.

This was at the UFC 296 pre-fight media presser, with UFC.com’s Maddyn Johnstone Thomas. At the press conference, Du Plessis and the champion had kicked off their first violent slurs at each other. Nonetheless, the title contender had been prompted at what a great opportunity this was; as he does now as well. Only time will tell what the UFC 297 middleweight clash holds for the individual fighters.

In case you missed it:

• “It’s in our DNA,” Dricus Du Plessis SURPRISINGLY praises ‘real man’ Sean Strickland despite starting a brawl at UFC 296
• “He really is nuts!” Joe Rogan team SLAM ‘Psychopath’ champion Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis for causing havoc in crowd at UFC 296

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