SUMMARY
- Dricus du Plessis became the new Middleweight Champion against Sean Strickland.
- Many, including Dana White, believed that Strickland had won the fight.
UFC 297 has just taken place, and what a night of action the fans enjoyed! Owing to the amazing performances and big drama after the main event, there have been a lot of talking points. Notably, the big one revolves around Dricus du Plessis and whether or not the decision of his fight was justified.
For those unaware, ‘Stillknocks‘ and Sean Strickland went all five rounds on the night. In the epic fight that ensued, both fighters left their mark on each other. Following the intense back and forth, the South African was declared the winner and the new middleweight champion. However, prior to the scorecards being revealed, many, including Dana White, believed that Strickland had won the fight.
Dricus du Plessis reacts to Dana White scoring the #UFC297 main event for Sean Strickland. pic.twitter.com/PsZdfsnrRO
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) January 21, 2024
Speaking in the post-fight press conference, Dricus asked the media, “Just for the record, is there some people that think I lost the fight?” Shortly, a member of the media team mentioned Dana White’s name. Although it must have been shocking for him to hear, Du Plessis promptly responded, “Dana said it? Well, bullsh*t.” All things considered, the UFC head honcho was not the only one to think Strickland won.
Dana White was not the only one to score the fight for Sean Strickland
As mentioned previously, Dana White was not the only one left surprised when the judges’ scorecards were revealed. Following the result, fans flocked to social media to share their thoughts and opinions on the fight. Bias aside, the general consensus was that Sean Strickland had won rounds 1, 2, and 5. Thus, he should have rightfully retained his title after the fight.
Amongst the horde of messages and tweets on X, certain fighters, active and retired, had similar thoughts. Notably, Dan Henderson, Jamahal Hill, Bo Nickal, Jake Shields, and Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera were some of the fighters who had Strickland winning the fight. Despite the outcome, the former champion left with his head held high and did not complain about the outcome.
Sean Strickland shares his immediate thoughts of his fight at #UFC297 with his girlfriend. 😭❤️ #MMA #UFC pic.twitter.com/AIpr6Jcdgm
— MMA Frenzy (@mma_frenzy) January 21, 2024
Interestingly, Strickland did not appear for the post-fight press conference, leading many to believe that he was dismayed by the decision. However, hours later, the 32-year-old took to social media to post with his girlfriend. Judging by his demeanor in the short clip, Sean seems happy in life.
Sean Strickland vs Dricus du Plessis: Judges’ scorecard and stats
According to ESPN Fightcenter, Sean Strickland connected a total of 173 significant strikes compared to Dricus du Plessis’ 137. Here it must be noted that Strickland landed more strikes in each of the rounds except Round 2. With that said, Dricus managed to take the former champ down on six different occasions and amassed a total control time of more than 2 minutes.
Similarly, some fans have argued that the South African was also the more active fighter and the one who pushed the pace. Not only that, many believed that Sean relied on his trusty jab a bit too much and did not have anything else to offer. On the contrary, Dricus tried to create chaos with his striking and mixed in a solid amount of kicks and wrestling.
#UFC297 Official Scorecard: Sean Strickland vs Dricus Du Plessis 👇
All Scorecards ➡️: https://t.co/Dgf6RIXYJN pic.twitter.com/RdzXOrtCV6
— UFC News (@UFCNews) January 21, 2024
Thus, it is likely what swayed the judges’ minds when it came down to deciding who won the fight. With that said, it is interesting to imagine what is in store for both fighters in the future. Whilst Dricus has called for a fight against Israel Adesanya next, the winner of Robert Whittaker vs. Paulo Costa is likely the most sensible option for Strickland.