“It’s nothing personal. This is business,” that’s what the current middleweight champ, Dricus du Plessis, had to say ahead of UFC 297, where he faced Sean Strickland. But with UFC 312 just around the corner, we all know it’s definitely personal now. Let’s be real, there’s always more going on in MMA than just what you see in the Octagon. For ‘Tarzan’, losing his middleweight title to ‘Stillknocks’ wasn’t just about the physical pain, it was the mental grind and those behind-the-scenes factors that determined who was left standing at the end. So, what really went down that night? And what’s with the whole getting ‘out-dogged’ aspect?

In an exclusive chat with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Strickland didn’t hold back when asked about his coach’s remark that he was outlasted, fully acknowledging it. He confirmed that the infamous headbutt that opened up a brutal cut wasn’t just a minor setback. “It was more the cut,” Strickland explained. “I mean, they had to stitch muscle, like it was so deep. And I’m a man of vision, you know? You take my vision, and it’s like, there we go.” Yeah, good luck with your game plan when you can’t see straight, right? That cut wasn’t just skin deep, it cut right into his strategy, and things got messy after that.

While some might point to du Plessis’ takedowns as the reason he took home the win, the American was quick to clarify. It wasn’t just the physical overpowering. “Let me take a f*****g pint of blood out in your eye and let me see how you feel,” he said. Apparently, the cut threw off his rhythm.

Despite setting a divisional record for the most significant strikes landed in a middleweight title fight—173, those moments of brilliance weren’t enough to overcome the damage the South African inflicted. The result? A split decision that some, including Dana White, thought should have gone Strickland’s way. “Three rounds to two, I had Strickland winning,” White admitted. So was it a robbery, or just bad scoring? And how does Strickland right the wrongs from the first fight?

What’s Sean Strickland’s plan for redemption?

Now, as Sean Strickland gears up for his rematch at UFC 312 in February, he’s not just bringing his gloves, he’s bringing some serious frustration. Unsurprisingly, he’s not a fan of how UFC 297’s decision went down. “It’s such a stupid scoring criteria,” Strickland ranted in a recent interview. “You take me down for five seconds, I get up, and now I’m outstriking you. How the f*ck do you score that?” Makes sense? Apparently, a takedown should count for more than who’s actually controlling the fight, right?

But Strickland’s not just throwing shade at the current champ or the judges, he’s got some beef with the whole scoring system. He even floated the idea of a “Bang Pact” for their rematch, basically wanting to make it a stand-up showdown where du Plessis isn’t allowed to take him down. Spoiler – ‘Stillknocks’ wasn’t exactly on board. Guess he prefers the “well-rounded” approach in a game that warrants striking and grappling as baseline requirements.

Still, Strickland’s pretty confident heading into this rematch, not just to reclaim his belt, but to set the record straight. When it comes to Islam Makhachev’s potential leap to middleweight, Strickland’s already got a little warning for him. Moving up to 185? Yeah, that’s not going to be as smooth as the “good dude” Makhachev thinks, with ‘Tarzan’ asking the lightweight champ to “stay in your weight class.” The size and power difference could be a real wake-up call.

Strickland’s not just chasing the belt back; he’s out to make sure everyone finally gets what his fighting style’s all about – his vision, his striking, and his all-out aggression. So, will the judges get it right this time? And can Strickland actually “out-dog” du Plessis, or will the South African champ show him just how dominant a champion he is? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!