Sean Strickland: Alex Pereira 'F---ing Hates' Dricus Du Plessis

Sean Strickland says that Alex Pereira hates Dricus du Plessis 😭

“For some reason he hates Dricus. I don’t know what you did to him, but he f***ing hates you dude.”

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— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 4, 2025

Sean Strickland believes Alex Pereira isn’t especially fond of Dricus Du Plessis.

Strickland will try to reclaim the middleweight title against Du Plessis in the main event at UFC 312 on Saturday at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. The former champ is training with foe-turned-friend Pereira leading up to the fight.

According to Strickland, “Poatan” has hatred toward Du Plessis, though the source of that animosity is unknown.

“I think Alex is an angry motherf---er,” Strickland said at UFC 312 media day. “Like, Alex is angry and for some reason he hates Dricus. I don’t know what you did to him. But he f---ing hates you, dude. The way he looks at Dricus sometimes, I’m like, ‘Dude, I’m fighting him dawg, it’s me dude.’ Alex, he just has that hate in his heart but he’s a good dude.”

Du Plessis hasn’t seemed too concerned that Pereira will be in Strickland’s corner on Saturday. The champ has previously noted that Pereira was also in Strickland’s corner when he dethroned the American at UFC 297 last year.

Du Plessis has since defended his title against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 this past August. Pereira issued an immediate callout to “Stillknocks,” teasing a return to middleweight. However, that move did not become a reality, and Pereira is scheduled to defend his 205-pound belt against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 in March. Meanwhile, Strickland was awarded a title shot after rebounding from the loss to Du Plessis with a split-decision victory over Paulo Costa.