Combat sports thrive on rivalries, and without a solid storyline, fights often lose their appeal. Take Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov—without their heated rivalry, it wouldn’t have become the spectacle it was. This year saw plenty of rivalries, from Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley to Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall. But for Henry Cejudo, Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis stands out as the biggest rivalry of all.
On their recent Pound 4 Pound podcast, Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo reflected on the year’s highlights now that the events have wrapped up. When the topic shifted to the year’s biggest rivalry, the two had differing takes but agreed on one thing—Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall didn’t feel like a genuine feud.
Usman said, “Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall this ain’t no beef to me. Jon ain’t stressed, he ain’t pressed. If anything we are making to where Jon goes to cash out, gimme $20-30 million.”
Instead, Kamaru Usman believes Manel Kape vs. Israel Adesanya was one of the most intense rivalries, even with the two competing in different divisions. According to Usman, Manel had plenty of heated moments this year, including his feud with Muhammad Mokaev, which added to his year of controversies.
Subsequently, Cejudo added, “This (Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis) has to be the biggest beef bro. He was talking about this dude’s dad, they had daddy issues. He told the kids and wife to walk out the way he straight up went straight hockey style on Dricus. This has to be the biggest beef.”
Dricus Du Plessis Wants To Shut Down All Naysayers At Sean Strickland Rematch
Du Plessis is ready to silence the critics as he prepares for his rematch with Sean Strickland in Australia. Announced at UFC 310, the showdown promises fireworks, with Du Plessis boldly declaring, “This time they won’t call it a robbery, they’ll call it attempted murder,” aiming to leave no room for controversy.
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Du Plessis is laser-focused on ending any debate in his rematch with Sean Strickland. After defending his title against Israel Adesanya, the South African champ plans to deliver a statement performance that leaves no room for doubt.
Meanwhile, Strickland, fueled by the close nature of their first fight, has patiently awaited this moment, determined to reclaim his shot. With tensions high and both fighters aiming to prove a point, this rematch promises fireworks—and an outcome impossible to predict.
