Du Plessis Bloodies Strickland, Retains Middleweight Belt at UFC 312
South African Fighter Dominates Rematch, Earning Unanimous Decision Victory
Dricus Du Plessis didn’t like the way his first meeting with Sean Strickland ended in a split decision a little more than a year ago, so he made sure there was no doubt on Sunday at UFC 312 in Sydney.
A Dominant Performance
In a rather lackluster rematch, Du Plessis retained his middleweight belt with a dominating unanimous decision over a bloodied Strickland. The 31-year-old champion (23-2) has now won his second title defense, following his submission victory over Israel Adesanya in August.
The first round saw Strickland (29-7) trying to establish his jab, while Du Plessis stayed aggressive with an array of kicks. Strickland continued to approach his attacks cautiously in the second round, attempting to pick his spots. Other than a strong right hand early in the round, it was Du Plessis who won the significant-strikes battle, 28-17.
A Turning Point in the Third Round
The third drew more boos than it did action through the first half of the round, until an overhand right, and later a spinning back fist by Du Plessis landed. The fourth round saw the most action, with the champion breaking Strickland’s nose with a hard right punch and then applying nonstop pressure on his challenger. While the first three rounds were extremely close, Du Plessis dominated the fourth.
The Final Round
Du Plessis continued to pepper Strickland’s nose in the final round, while staying on the attack to confirm the win.
Co-Main Event
In the co-main event, women’s strawweight champion Zhang Weili (26-3-0) overcame a rough first round and controlled more than 21 minutes of her title defense against No. 1 contender Tatiana Suarez (11-1-0) to earn a unanimous decision to retain her belt. Zhang has won her past four title defenses, three by unanimous decision and the other by second-round submission.
Undercard
* Heavyweight Tallison Teixeira (8-0-0) made his UFC debut by scoring a first-round TKO over Justin Tafa (7-5-0). That made it eight straight bouts Teixeira has ended in the first round, this one lasting just 35 seconds.
* In an action-packed light heavyweight bout, Jim Crute (12-4-2) and Rodolfo Bellato (12-2-1) both turned in impressive performances. Crute dominated the first round, while Bellato was better in the second. A very close third left the judges turning in a majority draw.
* In a three-round welterweight bout, Jake Matthews (21-7-0) defeated Francisco Prado (12-3-0) by unanimous decision.
Conclusion
Du Plessis’s victory was a dominant one, showcasing his skills and determination to retain his title. The South African fighter demonstrated his ability to adapt and overcome challenges, leaving no doubt about who was the better man in the rematch.
FAQs
* What was the outcome of the main event at UFC 312?
The main event saw Dricus Du Plessis retain his middleweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Sean Strickland.
* Who won the co-main event?
Zhang Weili retained her women’s strawweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Tatiana Suarez.
* Who made their UFC debut at UFC 312?
Tallison Teixeira scored a first-round TKO victory in his debut bout against Justin Tafa.
