South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis has become the UFC middleweight world champion after defeating Sean Strickland.
In a thrilling main event at UFC 297, South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis achieved a remarkable victory to claim the UFC middleweight world championship. The fierce battle unfolded at the Scotiabank Arena in Ontario, Canada, where Du Plessis faced Sean Strickland. The match, decided by split decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47), showcased Du Plessis’s resilience and diverse offensive skills, proving enough to dethrone the champion.
The first round saw Strickland’s jab and ability to counter Du Plessis’s leg kicks, but the challenger’s relentless forward pressure and takedowns set the tone for the subsequent rounds. Rounds two through four witnessed Du Plessis landing takedowns and opening a cut over Strickland’s eye. The champion elevated his offense in the fifth round, resulting in a flurry of strikes as the fight went to the judges’ scorecards.
With “and new” echoing through the arena, Du Plessis embraced his team in the Octagon before sharing thoughts with UFC great Daniel Cormier. Reflecting on the match, Du Plessis expressed his strategy and determination, emphasizing his prowess as a five-round fighter.
In the co-main event, Raquel Pennington secured the women’s bantamweight championship via unanimous decision after enduring five rounds against Mayra Bueno Silva. Pennington, who previously fought for the title in 2018, emphasized the perseverance required to reclaim the championship.
The remaining main card showcased Neil Magny’s third-round TKO victory over Mike Malott in their welterweight clash, Chris Curtis’s split decision win against Marc-Andre Barriault in the middleweight division, and Movsar Evloev’s unanimous decision over Arnold Allen in their featherweight encounter.
As Du Plessis revels in his middleweight triumph, the UFC continues its action-packed journey with the upcoming Fight Night at the APEX Facility in Las Vegas, featuring a middleweight headliner between Roman Dolidze and Nassourdine Imavov on Sunday, February 4.
UFC 297 – Main Card Results:
- Main Event: Middleweight Championship: Dricus du Plessis def. Sean Strickland via split decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47), R5, 5:00
- Co-Main: Women’s Bantamweight Championship: Raquel Pennington def. Mayra Bueno Silva via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-45), R5, 5:00
- Welterweight: Neil Magny def. Mike Malott via TKO (punches), R3, 4:45
- Middleweight: Chris Curtis def. Marc-Andre Barriault via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27), R3, 5:00
- Featherweight: Movsar Evloev def. Arnold Allen via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28), R3, 5:00
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