"This fight isn't going the distance" - Dricus Du Plessis claims UFC 297 showdown against Sean Strickland will be "Fight of the Year" candidate

The first pay-per-view of the year, UFC 297, will be headlined by a middleweight title clash between champ Sean Strickland and No.2-ranked contender Dricus Du Plessis.

Strickland secured the title in an upset against two-time champion Israel Adesanya last year via unanimous decision. However, his first title defense will not go the distance according to his opponent.

In an interview with MMA Junkie, Du Plessis stated that he was prepared to graft for the win and predicted that the fight would end before the final bell.

"I'm going to do what I need to do to win the fight. So if this is a Sean Strickland fight of punching really soft and jab, jab... if that’s the case – which it won’t be, I won’t allow it – then I’ll be there in the fifth round making sure I win this fight by decision, and convincingly. 'Cause that’s what it takes to become the world champion. But in my honest opinion, this fight is not going the distance. There’s no way. He’s a guy who walks forward. I’m a guy that likes to go forward."

'Stillknocks' also claimed that the fight had the potential to be one of the best in the year.

"This is the fight game. Anything can always happen, but I can promise you this. I’ve never been involved in a boring fight in my life... This is going to be one of those fights. If he can stay standing, if he can take what I give, this is a Fight of the Year contender, 100 percent. But I'm excited to become world champion, I'm excited to fight Sean Strickland, I'm excited to put on a show."

Check out his full comments below (9:50):

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Sean Strickland threatens Dricus Du Plessis against sensitive comments about his childhood

Both middleweight headliners Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis were engaged in a heated verbal and physical clashes last year at UFC 296.

Du Plessis' comments about Strickland's experience with child abuse were criticized by 'Tarzan' for crossing a line. Ahead of UFC 297, Strickland warned du Plessis against broaching the topic again.

“I actually sent him a message. Dude, listen, Dricus: We’re going to go try to murder each other, but if you bring that s**t up again, I will f*****g stab you... He was cool about it... I’m just saying that’s a line that, when crossed, it transcends fighting... If I go to Canada and you bring that up, well, guess what? I’m going to go to jail, they’re going to deport me, and we spent eight weeks of training for no f*****g reason.”

Check out Sean Strickland's full comments below (8:17):