In a recent turn of events, the middleweight champion, du Plessis, has refuted the claims made by his opponent, Strickland, following their split decision fight at UFC 297 earlier this month. Despite an initial display of sportsmanship, Strickland later took to social media alleging an illegal headbutt and proclaiming that he was robbed of victory in the bout.

Du Plessis, however, has come forward to contradict Strickland's narrative. Speaking on SuperSport Unplugged, he disclosed their conversation in the cage just before being announced as the new champion. Du Plessis claimed that Strickland shook his hand and conceded defeat, admitting that du Plessis deserved the win. The South African fighter affirmed his agreement, stating, "I also think so. I have to agree with you on that."

The intense build-up to the fight, marked by verbal sparring and a scuffle at UFC 296, seemed to have been diffused during fight week, as both fighters seemingly buried the hatchet. Du Plessis revealed that even after the bout, in the doctor's rooms, Strickland approached him and acknowledged his skills, stating, "You're a warrior. I wouldn't have wanted to lose to anybody else because you deserve this."

However, Strickland's social media posts painted a different picture, with derogatory comments aimed at du Plessis. While du Plessis acknowledges the emotional nature of his opponent, he believes that Strickland is not a bad person, despite the negativity shown online.

The controversy surrounding the decision has fueled the desire for a rematch, but it appears that an immediate second clash is unlikely. Du Plessis has his eyes set on defending his recently acquired title against Israel Adesanya at the highly anticipated UFC 300. The event is scheduled to take place on April 13 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

As the middleweight division continues to be embroiled in controversy, fans eagerly await the confirmation of the du Plessis-Adesanya showdown, which promises to be a blockbuster encounter at UFC 300.