When former middleweight champion  Sean Strickland defeated  Paulo Costa at UFC 302 by split decision, it appeared that he secured a title shot and rematch against champion  Dricus du Plessis .  All indications pointed to the two facing off a second time at UFC 312 in February in Sydney, Australia. Days ago Strickland stated that he would not fight in Australia and would prefer to fight Du Plessis in March in Las Vegas.   “I’m not fighting in Australia. We’re thinking Vegas in March,” Strickland  wrote on X .