Middleweight And Women's Strawweight Titles Are On The Line Down Under
The Octagon returns to Sydney, Australia for the seventh time for UFC 312 on February 8 and the stakes just got higher. To headline, middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis and No. 1-ranked contender Sean Strickland face off in a title fight rematch nearly 13 months in the making. In the co-main event, two-time UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili aims for her third-consecutive title defense of her second reign against Tatiana Suarez.
No. 6-ranked pound-for-pound fighter du Plessis (22-2, fighting out of Pretoria, South Africa) looks to remain undefeated since joining the promotion with his ninth straight victory. In just four years, he’s beaten the three former champions and has six finishes, proving to be one of the most exciting athletes on the roster. Now, he plans to show that his first win over Strickland wasn’t a one-time thing.
Strickland (29-6 fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada) looks for revenge in what will be the third title fight of his career. He’s one of the best pressure style fighters on the roster and showed that last June, when he defeated Paulo Costa at UFC 302 by split decision. With their first fight being highly competitive and Strickland getting in the win column since, this rematch will be fireworks.
Weili (25-3, fighting out of Handan, China) aims for her second title defense of 2024. At 9-2 inside the Octagon, the 35-year-old has been nearly perfect during her UFC career outside of her two meetings with Rose Namajunas. She’s defeated the likes of Yan Xiaonan, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, and Carla Esparza; by defeating Suarez, she will add another great contender to her resume.
For Suarez, (11-0, fighting out of Azusa, California) it’s easily the biggest opportunity of her career and she certainly earned this position. At 11-0 overall with wins over Jessica Andrade, Esparza, and Alexa Grasso, the 33-year-old is an expert when the fight hits the canvas, making her matchup with Weili a fascinating collision of two high-pace styles.
With these two title fights, UFC 312 promises to bring nonstop action ‘Down Under.’
Don't miss a moment of UFC 312: Du Plessis vs Strickland 2, live from Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney Olympic Park, New South Wales, Australia on February 9, 2024. Prelims start at 8pm ET/5pm PT, while the main card kicks off live on PPV at 10pm ET/7pm PT.
