UFC 312: When Punchlines Meet Punches (and Strickland’s Dignity Leaves the Chat)
February, 2025
The Rematch: Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2 – Now with More Trash Talk and Bruises
UFC 312 came in hot, promising a sequel to the chaotic cage fight between Dricus du Plessis and Sean Strickland—two guys who fight like their car payments depend on it. Their first brawl ended in controversy, which means it was basically a Marvel post-credits scene teasing Part 2. Strickland swore he got robbed, while du Plessis said, “Buddy, the only thing that got robbed was your stamina.”
Meanwhile, fans just wanted to see fists flying and Twitter memes erupting. One tweeted: “If Strickland doesn’t land a punch in the first minute, I’m legally changing my name to Decision Loss.” Another added: “Du Plessis fights like he’s late for a flight, and Strickland fights like a guy who got kicked out of his own birthday party.”
Pre-Fight Drama: The Roast Battle That Became a Fight
The lead-up to this fight was less weigh-in, more comedy roast. Strickland, known for having zero filter and even less self-preservation instinct, called du Plessis “a bootleg Rocky Balboa” and claimed South Africans aren’t built for this sport. Du Plessis responded by calmly pointing out, “You do realize I grew up wrestling actual lions, right?”
Strickland’s response? “Yeah, but did you fight them under UFC-sanctioned rules? Thought so.” This was already shaping up to be a battle where neither man would let their opponent walk away with their pride (or a functional jaw).
Co-Main Event: Weili vs. Suarez – The Underappreciated War
Before the main event, Zhang Weili defended her strawweight title against Tatiana Suarez, a fighter so technically sound she makes calculus look sloppy.
Weili came in looking like a human buzzsaw, while Suarez entered with the calmness of a person who reads self-help books about destruction. The bout was five rounds of pure chaos, with one fan tweeting, “My landlord could evict me mid-fight, and I wouldn’t notice.”
After 25 minutes of non-stop action, Weili won via unanimous decision and likely gave Suarez some bedtime anxiety for the next month.
The Undercard: Where Knockouts and Medical Bills Were Born
While people came for the headliners, the undercard had its own wild highlights.
Jake Matthews vs. Francisco Prado: A welterweight war so violent, the referee looked like he was considering a career change.
Justin Tafa vs. Tallison Teixeira: Heavyweight chaos that lasted less than a fast-food order. Tafa won via KO in under a minute, making Teixeira rethink his life choices.
Jimmy Crute vs. Rodolfo Bellato: Bellato got the memo that this wasn’t a hugging competition and sent Crute to the shadow realm.
The Main Event: When Tension Met Trauma
The moment the world waited for: Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2.
Strickland walked into the cage looking like a man who still had some unfinished insults to deliver. Du Plessis? All business, no nonsense, possibly fueled by the spirit of every South African rugby player ever.
Round 1: Both men swung like they were fighting over the last parking spot in a mall. Du Plessis landed a couple of sharp kicks, while Strickland yelled something at his opponent—possibly his grocery list or tax grievances.
Round 2: Du Plessis dropped Strickland with a right hand so clean, it should’ve come with a “sanitized for your safety” sticker. Strickland survived, but fans online weren’t convinced: “He’s blinking in Morse code for help.”
Round 3: Strickland, desperate not to lose another decision, pressed forward with wild shots, one of which connected with more force than a toddler having a tantrum. Du Plessis took it, smiled, and returned fire like a dude who just saw someone key his car.
Round 4: It was clear that Strickland was running on hopes and prayers. Du Plessis, meanwhile, landed a takedown so smooth that it should be in a jiu-jitsu instructional DVD.
Round 5: Strickland came out swinging with the energy of a man who just realized his paycheck depends on this round. Du Plessis countered, put on a clinic, and secured a dominant finish to cement his reign.
The Decision: "AND STILL!"
The judges made it official—Du Plessis retained the title via unanimous decision.
Strickland, now bruised and possibly reconsidering his life choices, admitted in his post-fight interview: “Alright, he won. But in my heart, I still think I won.” To which the entire MMA community collectively facepalmed.
The Internet’s Reaction: A Meme Explosion
The fight was barely over before Twitter did its thing:
“Strickland talks like a guy who fails a math test and blames the teacher.”
“Du Plessis punches like he’s trying to reset Strickland’s Wi-Fi.”
“How did Strickland take that many shots and still have energy to talk trash?”
Conclusion: UFC 312, You Were Beautifully Chaotic
If UFC 312 proved anything, it’s that the sport never disappoints. Between title defenses, internet meltdowns, and Tafa sending someone into next week, this event was an all-timer.
As the dust settles, one thing is clear—Sean Strickland will be back, du Plessis will remain a problem, and MMA Twitter will never stop talking.
UFC 312: Where fists fly, egos break, and Twitter wins.
