Dricus du Plessis in victory in UFC 297. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/@ufceurope
A main fight do UFC 297, which took place last Saturday (20/01), in Toronto, Canada, ended with a controversial and divided decision from the judges, who gave the victory and the middleweight belt (up to 83,9kg.) to Dricus du Plessis about Sean Strickland. The fight was marked by balance and intensity, with both fighters showing skill and heart, but without being able to dominate their opponent.
The judges' score, however, was contested by many fans and specialized journalists, who saw the result differently.
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According to the MMA Decisions website, which brings together the opinions of various press professionals around the world, 13 journalists marked the victory for Du Plessis, while another ten (nine journalists and one vehicle) saw Strickland as superior. On social media, there was also disagreement and debate about who deserved to take the belt.
With the result, Dricus became the fourth different champion of the middleweight category in the last two years, succeeding Israel adesanya, Alex Poatán and Strickland himself.
Dricus du Plessis x Sean Strickland
The South African, who has a record of 21 wins and two losses, arrived at the UFC in 2020 and won all seven of his fights in the organization, four by knockout, one by submission and the other two by judges' decision.
The North American lost the title in his first defense, after winning it in September 2023, by defeating Israel adesanya by unanimous decision. He has a record of 28 positive results and six negative results in his professional MMA career.
Foreign media score split down the middle.#UFCBR pic.twitter.com/RHwue7OVhA
— Depressive MMA (@MMAdepressive) January 21, 2024
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