A couple of weeks in the past, Sean Strickland was diving over chairs to throw punches at Dricus du Plessis within the crowd at UFC 296.
Now, simply days away from their primary occasion conflict at UFC 297, Strickland has buried no matter animosity he had towards du Plessis, going so far as telling the gang in Toronto to cheer for his opponent on Saturday evening. It was fairly a change of tempo after Strickland threatened to stab du Plessis if the South African fighter introduced up his childhood trauma once more — the precise topic that led to that brawl this previous December.
As a substitute, it was former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya catching strays from a really animated Strickland.
“Right here’s the factor about Dricus, he ain’t f****** Izzy — Dricus likes to combat,” Strickland shouted. “He likes to combat and he’s a hell of a combat. Are you aware what meaning? We’re going to be d*** to d***, nipple to nipple in that vary f****** preventing.
“I hope after we’re completed, win or lose, we’re f****** bloody and we placed on a present for you f****** guys. Applaud him and encourage him. As a result of we would like a f****** struggle!”
Regardless of the brawl and the pre-fight threats, Strickland insisted he by no means had any actual in poor health will in the direction of du Plessis. Strickland truly put the blame again on UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley, who initiated the uncomfortable trash discuss at a separate press convention the place all of them shared the stage collectively.
Outdoors of that incident and later attacking du Plessis within the crowd, Strickland guarantees he had no issues in any respect together with his upcoming opponent. In actual fact, he truly recommended du Plessis for managing to get him so bent off form and indignant throughout that earlier encounter.
“Right here’s the factor, it was by no means f****** private,” Strickland mentioned. “You had the cuck Sean O’Malley say some silly s*** he is aware of nothing about. I am going exhausting on all people. You don’t assume I deserve some s***? I am going exhausting on all you motherf******.
“I’m happy with the motherf******. You don’t see me lose character typically, this motherf***** obtained me there.”
Fairly than launch himself throughout the desk, Strickland prolonged a hand to du Plessis so the fighters may agree that they’d placed on a memorable present for the Canadian crowd on Saturday.
“Actual discuss you guys, me and Dricus, we’re going to attempt to f****** kill one another for you guys,” Strickland mentioned. “Dricus, can I get an settlement to the f****** loss of life? To the f****** loss of life! Godd*** respect him for that.”
The middleweights shook palms to acknowledge the bizarre wager and that appeared to bury the hatchet between them.
The identical can’t be mentioned for Adesanya after he picked du Plessis to win the combat at UFC 297 and beat Strickland to turn out to be the brand new middleweight champion. Strickland didn’t take goal on the prediction as a lot as sending Adesanya a harsh reminder how their combat performed out.
“Pay attention Izzy, the f****** man, the f****** cringelord, the pup play himself. F*** Izzy,” Strickland mentioned. “I may have took Izzy down and beat his ass on the bottom however I selected to face with him like a person. What did he do the entire combat? Run away like a b****. Izzy, shut your f****** mouth.”
