Sean Strickland Raises Doubts Over Alex Pereira vs. Dricus Du Plessis UFC Fight

Talk of a champion vs. champion matchup is all the rage after UFC 305.

Jasmin Frank-USA TODAY Sports

Sean Strickland is interested in seeing Alex Pereira fight Dricus Du Plessis, but he has serious doubts about whether that matchup could happen at middleweight.

UFC 305: Dricus Du Plessis Submits Israel Adesanya in Sensational Main Event

"He Just Looked Like "F***ing Death"

The main event for last weekend’s UFC 305 card in Perth, Western Australia saw Du Plessis successfully defend his middleweight title for the first time when he submitted Israel Adesanya, who was attempting to claim the 185-pound belt for a third time.

Pereira suggested in an Instagram post after the UFC 305 main event that he might like to return to middleweight to challenge Du Plessis, but in a recent ESPN MMA interview Strickland indicated he’d prefer to see his two former opponents meet at light heavyweight instead.

Jan 20, 2024; Toronto, Canada, USA; Sean Strickland (red glove) fights Dricus Du Plessis (blue gloves) during UFC 297 at ScotiaBank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports / Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

"As a welterweight that moved up to 185, once you get used to that weight class the thought of going back down sounds miserable,” Strickland told Brett Okamoto. “I think Alex should fight him at 205 any day of the week. I think Alex, any day of the week says 205, 100% dude. But you know, Alex has a big fight with [Khalil] Rountree. I think that’s a really great fight for Alex.”

Pereira’s fight with Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307 will mark the third time the Brazilian has stepped into the cage to defend his light heavyweight crown, and “Poatan” hasn’t competed at middleweight since he lost that division’s title in an immediate rematch with Adesanya at UFC 287.

Apr 8, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Alex Pereira (red gloves) is looked over by medical staff after the fight against Israel Adesanya (blue gloves) during UFC 287 at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports / Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports

"I remember seeing Alex for his last [middleweight] fight in the back room, and dude - he looked like f***ing death,” Strickland explained. “Like when he last [cut to middleweight], I walked to go say hi to him and dude, he just looked like f***ing death. To the point where I’m like 'Man, this ain’t good for you dude. Go up.'"

Du Plessis has expressed interest in moving up to light heavyweight himself in order to try and become a two-division UFC champion, but with Pereira scheduled to fight Rountree in October the South African may need to defend his middleweight belt in a rematch with Strickland before he makes the jump to a new weight class.

UFC Rankings Report: Dricus Du Plessis, Sean Strickland Threaten P4P List

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