The trash talk turned into a preview of the upcoming UFC Championship as the headliners brawled ringside in Las Vegas and one of them was kicked out of the arena.
“He's really mad…”
Fight fans may have flocked to the T-Mobile Arena outside Las Vegas, Nevada to see Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington fight for the UFC welterweight championship, but a grudge off the card he had prepared many for a middleweight matchup.
Current UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland was easily goaded into taking on rival Dricus Du Plessis, sitting ringside, when a moment intended to tease their January 20 contest was converted into hits.
“How about Sean Strickland, who's a psychopath, has the wherewithal to tell the kids to move before he goes and attack Dricus Du Plessis,” commentator Daniel Cormier could be heard saying while filming footage which showed Strickland ordering a boy to stand aside so he could jump on a chair to start beating the South African fighter during the lightweight contest between Paddy Pimblett and Tony Ferguson.
Here's tonight's Sean Strickland vs Dricus Du Plessis dust up! #UFC296 pic.twitter.com/WnLNVGkRXf
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufconnt) December 17, 2023
HOLY CRAP SEAN STRICKLAND AND DRICUS DU PLESSIS HAVE SIGNED UP!!! It had to be separated #UFC296 pic.twitter.com/igZclEMwp5
— Helen Yee (@HelenYeeSports) December 17, 2023
“So ridiculous that the middleweight champion of the world would do that… He's out of his mind,” Joe Rogan added. “He's really crazy and look, he's getting into it, he's enjoying himself, he had a good time.”
Members of the fighters' respective entourages, security and even former UFC lightweight champion Chuck Liddell could be seen separating the fighters, and broadcaster Jon Anik detailed that Strickland was removed from the stands.
He later took to X to call out Du Plessis alongside fellow UFC fighter Israel Adesanya, with his own comment on the men's behavior compared to the insults hurled at him, “I took with everyone i know this stupid mouth feeding his dog dricus kissing his trainer and taking his mug Omally talks about sharing his wife on a podcast.
“You're a man, on a world stage doing this in public … And what do you choose? 'You were abused as a child, already,'” Strickland added.
I go a lot with everyone I know this, stupid mouth feeding his dog, Dricus kissing his trainer and taking his mug. Omally talks about sharing his wife on a podcast.
You are a man, on a world stage doing this in public
And what do you choose?
“You were abused as a child, yes”
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) December 17, 2023
In his own jab at the UFC 297 opponent, Du Plessis took to the social media platform to claim: “Now I understand why you have a 33% finish rate, you hit like a girl, so does the Jan 20 security won't be there to save your life when I'm upstairs.
Now I understand why you have a 33% completion rate, you hit like a girl, also on January 20th security won't be there to save your life when I'm upstairs. #free rent
— Dricus Du Plessis (@dricusduplessis) December 17, 2023
UFC president Dana White took full responsibility for the incident, telling the press later: “So what kind of a**hole is Strickland next to Du Plessis? This hole. This ski.”
“I do every seat assignment every week,” he added, before commenting: “What's stupid? I mean seriously. I don't know what humans you can sit Strickland next to, but definitely not Du Plessis. I don't even know how I missed that.”
White also contradicted the report that the fighter was ripped, telling the press that after Strickland was taken to the back to cool off, he left of his own accord.
Dana White takes responsibility for sitting Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis next to each other in #UFC296
“I do all the seat assignments every week…I don't even know how I missed it.” pic.twitter.com/CNtzqPnapK
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) December 17, 2023
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