UFC champion Dricus du Plessis ready to enter "that dark place" in title defence

The UFC circus stops off at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia, this weekend for UFC 312. In the main event, South Africa's du Plessis faces Strickland for the second time in his career as he looks to maintain his undefeated streak in the promotion. 

The last time the duo clashed in the octagon was for the middleweight strap and du Plessis took it off the brash American via split decision. The decision was hotly debated as Strickland outstruck du Plessis, but the latter arguably did more damage and executed six takedowns to none.

"We're going to go to that dark place from the get-go and we'll see who comes out," the Pretoria native told the media this week. 

"And I can't wait for that because even if this goes to a decision again, it will be an all-out war and it will be no doubt that I'm the best in the world.

"For me, the split decision was the biggest shock to me. I didn't think it was a split decision. I am very happy that they made this fight. I was asking for this fight up until the Khamzat [Chimaev] win [over Robert Whittaker] happened, and then I would've preferred that fight, but I'm really happy this fight's happening because now I can go and say, 'What are you going to say?' I'm going to put this to bed. All the stupid fans who believe he won that fight, I can just go out and put this behind me.

"I didn't get lucky. I wasn't gifted a belt. I fought for five rounds forward. Twenty-three minutes forward in a 25-minute fight warrants a win. That's the guy who's trying to fight, not the guy who is trying to point."

With former middleweight king Israel Adesanya having fallen far from the throne after three consective losses and Strickland having dispatched the dangerous Paulo Costa last June, a rematch was always on the cards.

Du Plessis is under no illusions as to the challenge posed by Strickland.

"I think Strickland is the best middleweight in the world right now, behind myself, and he deserves to be here," continued the 31-year-old. 

"I know he's an incredible, incredible fighter. He's so good defensively. He's tough. He's hard to hit and when you hit him it doesn't have that effect as on normal guys. This guy is an apex predator. This is the toughest fight of my life coming up, and I'm ready for that because I am an apex predator and he's in my area right now."

READ MORE: Dricus du Plessis reacts to successful first UFC title defence