Alexander Volkanovski's BJJ coach alleges Sean Strickland tried to "bite" Dricus du Plessis' ear off during UFC 296 brawl
After the heated UFC 2024 Seasonal press conference last year, Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis were involved in a brawl during UFC 296. While it's common knowledge that 'Tarzan' threw the first punch, per Alexander Volkanovski's jiu-jitsu coach Craig Jones, the reigning middleweight champion also tried to bite 'Stillknocks' during the melee.
Speaking about the incident on a recent segment of the B-Team Jiu Jitsu YouTube channel, the accomplished grappler said:
"Allegedly, during the scramble, they are obviously holding Strickland's arm, [and] Dricus ends up on top. I swear to god, this motherf****r went for a Mike Tyson earbite. He like [mimics biting motion] f*****g tries to bite his ear as they get separated."
Catch Craig Jones' comments below:
Jones added that, in the moment, he was so puzzled that he thought he was imagining it, but sure enough, he was not. During an interview with comedian Theo Von since the incident, Strickland admitted to trying to bite du Plessis:
"I'm soo happy they didn't get it from the right angle. I bit him. I s**t you not... I remember at that moment, I started thinking like, 'How could I hurt this man? I going to take a f*****g chunk out. I'm going to bite his f*****g ear off."
Catch Sean Strickland's comments below:
Strickland is scheduled to defend his title against du Plessis next Saturday at UFC 297 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Per the oddsmakers, 'Tarzan' is a -130 favorite over the South African challenger (+110 underdog) for the matchup.
Sean Strickland vs. Dricus du Plessis: Pros give their pick
Sean Strickland is set to take on Dricus du Plessis in the first UFC pay-per-view of 2024. Let's take a look at how MMA pros see the bout unfolding.
During a recent interview with James Lynch, former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis claimed that Strickland's commendable work ethic will see him to victory against du Plessis:
"I like Strickland, bro...I see him training at Xtream Couture. That dude is sparring every day like it is a fight, and you've just got to respect that... His work ethic is why he is where he is at."
Scottish grappling phenom Paul Craig saw the fight playing out in favor of du Plessis. Per 'Bearjew', the challenger's unorthodox style will present problems for the champion.
Chase Hooper opined that Strickland's style is so unique that only standout talents like Khamzat Chimaev will have a chance against him.
Catch more picks from professional fighters below: