Duplesis holds his middleweight belt in a unanimous decision over Sydney’s bloody Strickland.
Dricus du Plessis defended the UFC middleweight belt in a unanimous victory over bitter rival Sean Strickland in his bloody title fight in Sydney.
The 31-year-old won 50-45, 50-45 and 49-46 on Sunday, raising his position as Mixed Martial Arts’ top fighter to 23-2 at 185 pounds (84kg) in the category.
Du Plessis first insisted on the belt when he defeated Strickland through a close split decision in Toronto last January.
South Africa launched a successful defense against Nigerian-born Israel Adesanya in August, with Strickland rebounding in a slippery defeat of Brazil’s Paulo Costa to set up a rematch.
“It’s impossible next door to come here and try to knock this guy out,” said Duplesis, the first South African to win the UFC Championship. “I want another round, but that’s not a game.
“I wanted five rounds to submit, knock out, or absolute control,” he added. “That’s what I gave. I gave it all.”
The Toronto collision was determined by the smallest margin, but this time it was all duplesis in Sydney.
On the measured start, he took advantage of a favorable head kick and landed four in round one as Strickland responded with a tentative jab.
The amount of strikes increased in round two, and Duplesis delivered the combination to his face and bleed as he picked up the pace.
Strickland lacked urgency, and Du Plessis drove the advantage in the dominant round four.
On the huge right hook, blood flowed from America’s nose and another person shook him in the cage.
Strickland’s nose was clearly bothering him. Duplesis sought kills in the fifth and final rounds, targeting as much as possible without being able to deal a decisive knockout hit.
Later, in a profanity courtside interview, the American said his nose was broken.
“I put it back and continued fighting for you,” he said. “He kicked my a** fair and quare.
Also on the main card, Chinese straw wight queen Zhang Weili defended the title for the third time in a row, dominating previously undefeated American challenger Tatiana Suarez.
Recognised as the best pound-pound female fighter in the sport, the ferocious Chan recorded an unanimous victory in the five-round battle where Suarez left in a nasty cut.
“I was well prepared for this fight. Tatiana is very strong, but I focused on myself,” said Zhang, who stretched the record to 26-3. Ta.
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