When asked how he would go and win the UFC middleweight crown this Sunday, Australia’s Jack Della Maddalena goes straight for that famed Sean Strickland playbook.
UFC 312: Du Plessis v Strickland 2 | SUN 9 FEB | UFC middleweight king Dricus du Plessis is headed back Down Under for yet another title defence, with the South African set to face Sean Strickland in a blockbuster UFC 312 headliner in Sydney. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. Main Event on Kayo Sports and Foxtel is the exclusive home of UFC Pay-Per-View.
“Stick the jab and move,” he says of removing gold from around the waist of South Africa’s fighting superstar Dricus du Plessis.
“Which is exactly what Sean will do.”
But still, JDM isn’t picking him.
Same as UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping will resurrect arguably the worst loss of his career, and without prompting, when analysing du Plessis – whose critics he describes as fools.
“People say ‘oh, he’s got this herky jerky rhythm, he doesn’t look technical’,” Bisping told Fox Sports Australia shortly before both fighters made weight Friday inside Sydney’s Hilton hotel, each hitting the scales at 83.9kg, or 185 pounds.
“But people don’t know what they’re talking about.
“They’re fools.
“Yes, if you compare the slickness of, say, Israel Adesanya to Dricus, maybe it doesn’t look as pretty.
“But it’s effective.
“And what are we looking to do? We’re looking to be effective.
“It was like when I fought Dan Henderson at UFC 100.
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Strickland & DDP erupt in war of words | 02:12
“At the time, my boxing coach was laughing his head off, saying ‘this guy, you will box his head off, he’s terrible’.
“Henderson knocked me out cold.
“He hits hard as hell, has good wrestling and comes forward.
“So people criticising Dricus, they don’t know what they’re talking about.
“Dricus is extremely effective.
“Has finished a lot of people.
“And when you combine that with his mental toughness, his wrestling ability, his jiu jitsu …. there is video out there of him taking on an entire jiu jitsu team – high level black belts – and submitting them one after the other in the first round.
“And he’s only getting better and better.”
Certainly, JDM will be picking him.
The undeniable Next Big Thing of Australian MMA, 28-year-old ‘Della’ is currently in camp and readying for what will almost certainly be a title eliminator when he throws down against Englishman Leon Edwards in March.
The London headliner looms as the biggest test yet for the West Australian slugger who boasts a perfect 7-0 record since entering the Octagon in 2021, and is on an overall tear of 17 straight wins.
Strickland’s moment of BRUTAL honesty | 01:22
Yet despite his impressive streak, the Aussie has not fought since his stoppage win over Brazilian Gilbert Burns last March, with a broken arm and subsequent infections having resulted in four separate surgeries.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia in Sydney this week, JDM said he was tipping du Plessis to win his hyped rematch with Strickland, admitting it would be tough to combat the champ’s style.
“So I’d try to move, stay on the feet,” he said.
“Someone who lunges forward like Dricus, I think sticking him with jabs to the head and body would be a good start.
“Then build off that.
“Which is what Strickland does …”
So why won’t it work?
“I think Strickland is just too flat footed,” JDM continued.
“He’s got a nice jab but he’ll also just stand in front of you.
“And standing in front of someone like Dricus, you turn into a punching bag.
“Because he’s going to leap at you, try and hit you, so you’re moving the feet and sticking the jab.
“But I don’t think Strickland has very good footwork.”
And as for the du Plessis style?
Dana’s response to Strickland article | 00:32
“I think every fight you could take a clip and say ‘what the hell is this guy doing?’,” the UFC welterweight contender admits.
“But he’s strong, has power, and he’s fit, will keep on coming.
“His grappling is good too, so he can take advantage there.
“But he is wild.
“And some of the stuff he does in fights, it does look kind of silly.
“But he’s a good fighter.
“Awkward.
“You don’t what you’re going to get.
“And when you have a weird style, weird timing, it’s hard to do anything against it.”
Bisping agrees, adding: “Dricus is a tough nut to crack because he’s so strong.
“Really, really big for a middleweight.
“Massive.
“He’s in tremendous shape, incredible athlete.
“And he’s really smart as well.
“When you have a conversation with Dricus, you can tell you’re dealing with a really intelligent man.
“And the better thinker you are, the better fighter you’ll be. Simple.”
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