Strickland's Sight Set Where It Shouldn't Be?

At UFC 312, Sean Strickland will look to win back the UFC Middleweight Championship from Dricus du Plessis. Strickland and du Plessis first fought for the title at UFC 297, where Dricus was crowned the new champion in a close and controversial decision.  Sean now looks to right that wrong as he attempts to reclaim the title, he believes he never lost. However, is the former champion looking past du Plessis, also known as DDP, and more focused on a potential fight with Khamzat Chimaev?

During UFC 312 fight week, Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev have gone at it as the two have entered a highly personal rivalry. They have been attacking each other's families, as multiple situations such as abuse and fleeing countries have been discussed. This back-and-forth arguing has been going on for months but has definitely reached a different level ahead of UFC 312. This has resulted in many fans being under the assumption that Strickland is more intrigued by a potential fight with Khamzat than his already scheduled fight with du Plessis. 

There is even more concern now given that Sean was just as focused on Chimaev than he was on DDP during the UFC 312 press conference. It made sense for Strickland to mention Chimaev during media day, as he has been confirmed as the next title challenger, though the presser was the only real chance he got to talk to Dricus face-to-face. He still took that opportunity to call out Khamzat numerous times, which is clear evidence that he is not completely focused on du Plessis. Given that he lost the first fight, he must change his priorities.

If Sean is to beat DDP at UFC 312, then Strickland vs Chimaev could become one of the biggest feuds in MMA history. The two have already been going at it and they’re not even scheduled to fight, so if they ever are, their rivalry will likely get much more personal. As of right now, though, Strickland needs to make sure that he is ready for his fight against Dricus. He will look to win back his UFC Middleweight Championship tomorrow but may fail as he is already looking past the current champ.