Rivalries are the heartbeat of the UFC, transforming fights from mere competition into personal battles that captivate fans and define legacies. Some of the sport’s most iconic feuds have pushed fighters to their limits, shaping careers and delivering unforgettable showdowns inside the Octagon. The world has already been witness to the bad blood between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov which was amplified by verbal jabs and low blows. Now, a new rivalry seems to be brewing between Alex Pereira and Dricus Du Plessis, spanning both the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.
Pereira, who captured the 205lbs gold after a dominant run at 185 pounds, had previously expressed a desire to return to middleweight to challenge Du Plessis. Following Du Plessis’ successful title defense against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, Pereira made his intentions clear, announcing, “I’m going down to 84 kg again, coming down to 185 one more time.” However, Du Plessis has remained focused on his own division and advising ‘Poatan’ to stay in his lane in the post-fight presser of UFC 297.
Interestingly, Sean Strickland—who is set to face Du Plessis at UFC 312—has been training alongside Pereira and will also be in his corner on fight night. ‘Tarzan’ recently shed light on Pereira’s growing animosity toward Du Plessis, revealing that the Brazilian harbors a deep dislike for the current middleweight champion.
In a video shared by UFC News, Strickland stated, “But I think Alex is an angry mothe—-ker. Like Alex is angry, and for some reason dude, he hates Dricus. I don’t know what you did to him, but he fu—ng hates you, dude. And it’s like the way he looks at Dricus sometimes I’m like ‘Dude I’m fighting him dog. It’s me, dude.’ But no Alex he just has that hate in his heart. He is a good dude, so he’s out here. So let’s come on let’s get in.”
As of now, a showdown between Pereira and Du Plessis is out of bounds with both champions focusing on their own divisions. However, the ongoing exchanges between the duo have captivated MMA fans, setting the stage for a potential high-stakes clash that could further define their legacies in the sport. Meanwhile, Du Plessis recently took a dig at Pereira for cornering Strickland at UFC 312. But the Brazilian had a subtle reply of his own!
Alex Pereira keeps his rivalry with Dricus Du Plessis alive with a recent story
In the world of MMA, where verbal warfare often plays as big a role as the fights themselves, Alex Pereira stands out with his unshakable demeanor. Unlike many of his peers who engage in heated exchanges and social media feuds, the Brazilian rarely bites when provoked. Instead, the 205lbs champ lets his fists do the talking inside the Octagon.
This is what he has exactly done while responding to Du Plessis. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and Pereira delivered just that in a response to Dricus Du Plessis’ comments with a simple travel update. In an Instagram story, ‘Poatan’ posted a photo of himself with his team, making their way to Sydney. In a sport fueled by mind games and psychological battles, Pereira’s way of handling trash talk is a testament to his warrior mentality.
While others waste energy with words, he remains laser-focused on what truly matters—delivering devastating performances when it counts the most. Will Alex Pereira ever take on Dricus Du Plessis in his career? And will the South African be able to get past Strickland this time around? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The post “He Hates Dricus” – Sean Strickland Makes Wild Claims on Alex Pereira’s Feelings for Dricus Du Plessis appeared first on EssentiallySports.