UFC 297 LIVE: Strickland vs Du Plessis fight updates and results tonight
Re-live updates from the middleweight title fight, as well as a clash for the vacant women’s bantamweight belt
Dricus Du Plessis took the middleweight title from Sean Strickland at UFC 297 on Saturday, beating the controversial American via split decision.
Strickland won the belt from Israel Adesanya in September, in one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, but his first defence was an unsuccessful one.
Du Plessis entered the main event on the back of a surprise TKO of former champion Robert Whittaker last July, and although the South African failed to replicate that explosive performance, he just did enough to emerge victorious.
After five rounds, the judges’ scorecards read 48-47, 47-48, 48-47 in favour of Du Plessis, though the result could easily have gone the other way.
In the co-main event, Raquel Pennington beat Mayra Bueno Silva via unanimous decision to win the vacant women’s bantamweight title. Re-live updates and see all the results from UFC 297 below.
UFC 297 LIVE: Sean Strickland vs Dricus Du Plessis
Round five
A right overhand just about lands for Du Plessis. He tries for a takedown, but Strickland sprawls.
Strickland is landing jabs and crosses but without much power. Again Strickland denies Du Plessis a takedown.
Strickland sees a couple of big right hands blocked, but Du Plessis might have felt those anyway.
Good body kick by DDP. More right hand attempts by Strickland.
DDP with one of his own. Strickland again! And a knee to the body!
A wild end to the fight!
UFC 297 LIVE: Sean Strickland vs Dricus Du Plessis
Round five
A touch of gloves. Strickland catches a body kick, then Du Plessis misses with a spinning back elbow.
Du Plessis catches Strickland on the end of a cross. Stern jab by the challenger now.
One-two lands for Strickland. Du Plessis is struggling to land right now.
Low kick by the South African, who sees a head kick blocked right after.
UFC 297 LIVE: Sean Strickland vs Dricus Du Plessis
Indy Sport has it two rounds apiece. This final frame could decide it.
UFC 297 LIVE: Sean Strickland vs Dricus Du Plessis
Round four
Strickland stands against the fence, and the middleweights separate. Clean cross by DDP!
Strickland’s face is COVERED in blood. Head kick just about lands for Du Plessis.
Another takedown for Du Plessis! He essentially lands a German suplex on Strickland after the champion briefly stands.
Again Strickland escapes and stands, though. Nice rear uppercut by Du Plessis, who then kicks low.
Stiff jab by Strickland. Du Plessis misses with a wide right hook. Jab and right hook by Strickland!
UFC 297 LIVE: Sean Strickland vs Dricus Du Plessis
Round four
Du Plessis calls on the crowd to get going. He has never been in a fourth round until now!
His corner wants a takedown. Good cross from Strickland!
Du Plessis has cut Strickland with a cross, it seems... Nice cross from Strickland again.
Heavy body kick by Du Plessis. More right hands on point for Strickland.
There’s the takedown by Du Plessis!
UFC 297 LIVE: Sean Strickland vs Dricus Du Plessis
Round three
This is a really good round for Du Plessis, who might have narrowly lost the second and seemed to comfortably lose the first.
He lands an overhand left, but Strickland absorbs it well. Strickland needs more activity at the moment.
Decent right hook by Strickland, and again. That was a bit of a messy exchange. Du Plessis telegraphs a high kick and misses.
Strickland with a big left hook on the buzzer!
UFC 297 LIVE: Sean Strickland vs Dricus Du Plessis
Round three
Du Plessis’s left eye is almost completely swollen shut... That could be a factor over the next round or so...
Good head kick by Du Plessis! He then misses with a follow-up left hook. Front kick to the body by Strickland, and a jab up top.
Hard outside low kick from the challenger. Good jab. Now a body kick. Du Plessis is really pressing the action.
UFC 297 LIVE: Sean Strickland vs Dricus Du Plessis
Round two
Both men kick low. Du Plessis is wide of the mark with an overhand right. Strickand is so good at checking low kicks.
Wild left hook misses for Du Plessis upstairs, but he lands a shot to the body.
Nice, short right crosses from Strickland to keep Du Plessis at bay. Du Plessis is getting closer with his overhand right...
Beautiful single-leg by Du Plessis! He gets Strickland down against the fence, but the American stands before long.
The middleweights move back into the open, where Du Plessis lands a double-jab and left hook from southpaw.
His face is increasingly swollen, though.
UFC 297 LIVE: Sean Strickland vs Dricus Du Plessis
Round two
Light-heavyweight champ Alex Pereira, who knocked out Strickland in 2022, is in the American’s corner!
“Let’s go, Strickland,” chants the crowd. Both men land jabs. Spinning back fist from Du Plessis.
Teep kick to the gut by Strickland. Du Plessis stumbles off balance while circling to the left.
Brilliant jab by Strickland. Du Plessis misses with a spinning back fist. He switches stances back and forth.
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