Dricus throws ‘pact’ in Strickland’s face: Fight build-up heats up

In just under two weeks the whole of South Africa will again be glued to their TV screens as South Africa’s Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight title holder looks to successfully defend his crown.

Dricus du Plessis will be in the land Down Under for his second title defence against the man who he took the title from just over a year ago.

The Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney will play host to UFC312 on 9 February and Du Plessis will take on American Sean Strickland in the main event which could be another battle for the ages – just like their previous encounter which ended in a split decision in favour of the South African.

The social media trash talk over the past few days has started whetting the fans’ appetites.

‘No pacts between Lions and men’

Strickland, knowing the South African has superior wrestling skills, tried to even out the playing field by offering Du Plessis a bit of a pact.

“Listen Dutchman, I’m gonna need you to be a man,” Strickland said. “And I’m gonna need you to stand up, not go to your knees, and we’re gonna need to strike like men.

“I know you like to wrestle, you like to choke people out. But I’ll make a pact with you, you make a pact with me, that we stand up like men and we settle this (expletive) like men.”

DDP was blunt in his response: “There are no pacts between Lions and men.”

Whichever way the fight goes, this one has the makings a being a full-on war yet again.

Du Plessis, who has never been a man to mince his words, took to Instragram with a short and sharp message for his fans.

“This performance is going to be something special, mark my words.”

And if past performances are anything to go by, the South African will again be the one with his arms raised in victory. “And still…!”