South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis successfully defended his UFC middleweight title with a dominant unanimous decision victory over bitter rival Sean Strickland in Sydney on Sunday, leaving his opponent bloodied and with a broken nose in a brutal title clash.

The 31-year-old secured the win with scores of 50-45, 50-45, and 49-46, improving his record to 23-2 and further cementing his status as the top middleweight fighter in mixed martial arts.

Du Plessis first claimed the belt in January last year with a narrow split-decision victory over Strickland in Toronto, a result the outspoken American has long disputed. Since then, the South African successfully defended his title against Nigeria-born Israel Adesanya, while Strickland earned a rematch with a lacklustre win over Brazil’s Paulo Costa.

Dominant Performance from Du Plessis

Unlike their razor-thin first encounter, Du Plessis controlled this fight from start to finish. He set the tone early, using his signature head kicks effectively in the opening round while Strickland tentatively responded with jabs.

As the fight progressed, Du Plessis ramped up the intensity, landing precise combinations that drew blood in the second round. Strickland struggled to match his opponent’s aggression and lacked urgency as the South African continued to dictate the pace.

By the fourth round, Du Plessis was in complete control. A powerful right hook left Strickland’s nose gushing blood, and another heavy strike sent him reeling against the cage.

Sensing an opportunity to finish the fight, Du Plessis relentlessly targeted Strickland’s damaged nose in the fifth and final round, though he was unable to deliver a knockout blow.

In a post-fight interview, Strickland, bloodied and bruised, admitted his injury.

“My nose was broken—I popped it back in place and kept fighting for you,” he said.

“He kicked my arse fair and square, props to him.”

Zhang Weili and Tallison Teixeira Impress on the Main Card

Elsewhere on the main card, Chinese strawweight champion Zhang Weili successfully defended her title for the third consecutive time with a dominant unanimous decision victory over previously unbeaten American challenger Tatiana Suarez.

The relentless Zhang, widely regarded as the best pound-for-pound female fighter in the sport, outclassed Suarez over five rounds, leaving her opponent with nasty cuts.

“I was well prepared for this fight. Tatiana is very strong, but I just focused on myself,” said Zhang, who extended her record to 26-3.

In the heavyweight division, Brazil’s Tallison Teixeira delivered a stunning knockout victory over Justin Tafa in just 35 seconds. A vicious elbow to the nose sent the Australian crashing to the canvas, securing Teixeira’s eighth consecutive win and maintaining his unbeaten record at 8-0.