Dricus Du Plessis couldn't hide his joy after Sean Strickland dethroned Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328, a result that the former champion believes effectively hands him back the middleweight title.

In the main event at Newark's Prudential Center, Strickland (31-7 MMA, 18-7 UFC) edged out Chimaev (15-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) via split decision, ending the Swedish-born fighter's brief reign. Du Plessis (23-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC), who had lost his belt to Chimaev in dominant fashion at UFC 319, had predicted the upset and was quick to claim a moral victory.

"Fight went exactly the way I thought it would," Du Plessis told the UFC. "Great, great fight by Strickland. Like I said, it's so hard to keep that man on the ground. He is incredibly tough to hold down, and he made Khamzat tired and that's exactly what happened. I knew, and like I said in the standup, (Chimaev) just won't be able to hang with him. Congratulations. I guess this makes me world champion again."

The South African, who has beaten Strickland twice in title fights, was in attendance and celebrated openly when the scorecards were announced. His reaction underscores how the middleweight division continues to spin in a cycle of rivalries, with Du Plessis now holding wins over the man who just beat the champ.

For fight fans and gear enthusiasts alike, this shake-up is a reminder that in MMA, momentum can shift in an instant—and sometimes the best revenge is watching someone else do the work for you.