Dricus Du Plessis worked his way toward the top until only one man stood between him and the Ultimate Fighting Championship penthouse at 185 pounds.
The 29-year-old South African will challenge Sean Strickland for the undisputed middleweight title when their five-round confrontation headlines UFC 297 on Jan. 20 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Du Plessis enters the Octagon on the strength of a career-best eight-fight winning streak that now spans more than five years. He has secured 19 of his 20 professional victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission, giving him a prodigious 95% finish rate.