The Ultimate Fighter: Du Plessis Dominates Strickland to Defend Middleweight Title
Brandon ‘The Sheriff’ Du Plessis retained his UFC middleweight title with a comprehensive victory over challenger Sean Strickland in Las Vegas on Saturday night. The 31-year-old extended his impressive win-loss record to 23-2, firmly establishing himself as the premier 185-pound fighter in mixed martial arts today. Du Plessis initially claimed the belt from Strickland in a closely contested split decision in their first meeting in Toronto in January of last year, which the polarizing American vehemently disputed. Since then, the South African champion has successfully defended his title against the Nigeria-born contender, Israel Adesanya, in August, while Strickland rebounded with a tepid defeat of Brazil’s Paulo Costa, setting the stage for their highly anticipated rematch. “Facing a formidable opponent like Strickland, attempting a knockout is next to impossible,” acknowledged Du Plessis, the first South African to hold a UFC championship belt. “I would’ve loved to continue excha...