The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to Toronto, Canada, for the first time in six years with a blockbuster event headlined by a middleweight title clash between Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis. The event, UFC 297, will take place on Saturday, January 20, 2024, at the Scotiabank Arena.
Strickland, the reigning champion, is one of the most dominant fighters in the division, having won his last six fights in a row. The 35-year-old American captured the belt by defeating Israel Adesanya by unanimous decision at UFC 284 in July 2023, ending the Nigerian’s long reign. Strickland is known for his aggressive striking, wrestling and durability, and has a record of 34 wins, three losses and one draw, with 24 wins by knockout.
Du Plessis, the challenger, is a former two-division champion in the Polish promotion KSW, where he held the welterweight and middleweight titles. The 36-year-old South African made his UFC debut in October 2020, and has since won four fights in a row, all by knockout. Du Plessis is a well-rounded fighter, with a black belt in judo and a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and has a record of 18 wins and two losses, with 16 wins by finish.
The fight between Strickland and du Plessis is expected to be a thrilling and competitive affair, as both fighters have contrasting styles and strengths. Strickland has the advantage of size, power and experience, while du Plessis has the edge in speed, movement and versatility. Both fighters are confident and motivated to make history and cement their legacy as the undisputed middleweight king.
The co-main event of UFC 297 will feature a women’s bantamweight title fight for the vacant belt between Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno Silva. Pennington is a former title challenger who lost to Amanda Nunes in 2018, but has since bounced back with three wins in a row. Silva is a rising star who has won four of her five UFC fights, all by submission. The title was vacated when Nunes announced her retirement after defending her title at UFC 289.
The main card of UFC 297 will also include a welterweight bout between Neil Magny and Mike Malott, a middleweight bout between Chris Curtis and Marc-André Barriault, and a featherweight bout between Arnold Allen and Movsar Evloev. The prelims and early prelims will feature several exciting matchups, such as Charles Jourdain vs. Sean Woodson, Gillian Robertson vs. Polyana Viana, and Malcolm Gordon vs. Jimmy Flick.
UFC 297 will be broadcasted live on pay-per-view platforms around the world, with millions of fans expected to tune in. The event is backed by the Saudi Arabian government, which has been investing heavily in sports and entertainment to boost its global image and tourism. However, the decision to host the fight in Saudi Arabia has also drawn criticism from human rights groups, who accuse the country of using sport to distract from its record of violations and abuses
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to Toronto, Canada, for the first time in six years with a blockbuster event headlined by a middleweight title clash between Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis. The event, UFC 297, will take place on Saturday, January 20, 2024, at the Scotiabank Arena.
Strickland, the reigning champion, is one of the most dominant fighters in the division, having won his last six fights in a row. The 35-year-old American captured the belt by defeating Israel Adesanya by unanimous decision at UFC 284 in July 2023, ending the Nigerian’s long reign. Strickland is known for his aggressive striking, wrestling and durability, and has a record of 34 wins, three losses and one draw, with 24 wins by knockout.
Du Plessis, the challenger, is a former two-division champion in the Polish promotion KSW, where he held the welterweight and middleweight titles. The 36-year-old South African made his UFC debut in October 2020, and has since won four fights in a row, all by knockout. Du Plessis is a well-rounded fighter, with a black belt in judo and a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and has a record of 18 wins and two losses, with 16 wins by finish.
The fight between Strickland and du Plessis is expected to be a thrilling and competitive affair, as both fighters have contrasting styles and strengths. Strickland has the advantage of size, power and experience, while du Plessis has the edge in speed, movement and versatility. Both fighters are confident and motivated to make history and cement their legacy as the undisputed middleweight king.
The co-main event of UFC 297 will feature a women’s bantamweight title fight for the vacant belt between Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno Silva. Pennington is a former title challenger who lost to Amanda Nunes in 2018, but has since bounced back with three wins in a row. Silva is a rising star who has won four of her five UFC fights, all by submission. The title was vacated when Nunes announced her retirement after defending her title at UFC 289.
The main card of UFC 297 will also include a welterweight bout between Neil Magny and Mike Malott, a middleweight bout between Chris Curtis and Marc-André Barriault, and a featherweight bout between Arnold Allen and Movsar Evloev. The prelims and early prelims will feature several exciting matchups, such as Charles Jourdain vs. Sean Woodson, Gillian Robertson vs. Polyana Viana, and Malcolm Gordon vs. Jimmy Flick.
UFC 297 will be broadcasted live on pay-per-view platforms around the world, with millions of fans expected to tune in. The event is backed by the Saudi Arabian government, which has been investing heavily in sports and entertainment to boost its global image and tourism. However, the decision to host the fight in Saudi Arabia has also drawn criticism from human rights groups, who accuse the country of using sport to distract from its record of violations and abuses
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to Toronto, Canada, for the first time in six years with a blockbuster event headlined by a middleweight title clash between Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis. The event, UFC 297, will take place on Saturday, January 20, 2024, at the Scotiabank Arena.
Strickland, the reigning champion, is one of the most dominant fighters in the division, having won his last six fights in a row. The 35-year-old American captured the belt by defeating Israel Adesanya by unanimous decision at UFC 284 in July 2023, ending the Nigerian’s long reign. Strickland is known for his aggressive striking, wrestling and durability, and has a record of 34 wins, three losses and one draw, with 24 wins by knockout.
Du Plessis, the challenger, is a former two-division champion in the Polish promotion KSW, where he held the welterweight and middleweight titles. The 36-year-old South African made his UFC debut in October 2020, and has since won four fights in a row, all by knockout. Du Plessis is a well-rounded fighter, with a black belt in judo and a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and has a record of 18 wins and two losses, with 16 wins by finish.
The fight between Strickland and du Plessis is expected to be a thrilling and competitive affair, as both fighters have contrasting styles and strengths. Strickland has the advantage of size, power and experience, while du Plessis has the edge in speed, movement and versatility. Both fighters are confident and motivated to make history and cement their legacy as the undisputed middleweight king.
The co-main event of UFC 297 will feature a women’s bantamweight title fight for the vacant belt between Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno Silva. Pennington is a former title challenger who lost to Amanda Nunes in 2018, but has since bounced back with three wins in a row. Silva is a rising star who has won four of her five UFC fights, all by submission. The title was vacated when Nunes announced her retirement after defending her title at UFC 289.
The main card of UFC 297 will also include a welterweight bout between Neil Magny and Mike Malott, a middleweight bout between Chris Curtis and Marc-André Barriault, and a featherweight bout between Arnold Allen and Movsar Evloev. The prelims and early prelims will feature several exciting matchups, such as Charles Jourdain vs. Sean Woodson, Gillian Robertson vs. Polyana Viana, and Malcolm Gordon vs. Jimmy Flick.
UFC 297 will be broadcasted live on pay-per-view platforms around the world, with millions of fans expected to tune in. The event is backed by the Saudi Arabian government, which has been investing heavily in sports and entertainment to boost its global image and tourism. However, the decision to host the fight in Saudi Arabia has also drawn criticism from human rights groups, who accuse the country of using sport to distract from its record of violations and abuses
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to Toronto, Canada, for the first time in six years with a blockbuster event headlined by a middleweight title clash between Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis. The event, UFC 297, will take place on Saturday, January 20, 2024, at the Scotiabank Arena.
Strickland, the reigning champion, is one of the most dominant fighters in the division, having won his last six fights in a row. The 35-year-old American captured the belt by defeating Israel Adesanya by unanimous decision at UFC 284 in July 2023, ending the Nigerian’s long reign. Strickland is known for his aggressive striking, wrestling and durability, and has a record of 34 wins, three losses and one draw, with 24 wins by knockout.
Du Plessis, the challenger, is a former two-division champion in the Polish promotion KSW, where he held the welterweight and middleweight titles. The 36-year-old South African made his UFC debut in October 2020, and has since won four fights in a row, all by knockout. Du Plessis is a well-rounded fighter, with a black belt in judo and a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and has a record of 18 wins and two losses, with 16 wins by finish.
The fight between Strickland and du Plessis is expected to be a thrilling and competitive affair, as both fighters have contrasting styles and strengths. Strickland has the advantage of size, power and experience, while du Plessis has the edge in speed, movement and versatility. Both fighters are confident and motivated to make history and cement their legacy as the undisputed middleweight king.
The co-main event of UFC 297 will feature a women’s bantamweight title fight for the vacant belt between Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno Silva. Pennington is a former title challenger who lost to Amanda Nunes in 2018, but has since bounced back with three wins in a row. Silva is a rising star who has won four of her five UFC fights, all by submission. The title was vacated when Nunes announced her retirement after defending her title at UFC 289.
The main card of UFC 297 will also include a welterweight bout between Neil Magny and Mike Malott, a middleweight bout between Chris Curtis and Marc-André Barriault, and a featherweight bout between Arnold Allen and Movsar Evloev. The prelims and early prelims will feature several exciting matchups, such as Charles Jourdain vs. Sean Woodson, Gillian Robertson vs. Polyana Viana, and Malcolm Gordon vs. Jimmy Flick.
UFC 297 will be broadcasted live on pay-per-view platforms around the world, with millions of fans expected to tune in. The event is backed by the Saudi Arabian government, which has been investing heavily in sports and entertainment to boost its global image and tourism. However, the decision to host the fight in Saudi Arabia has also drawn criticism from human rights groups, who accuse the country of using sport to distract from its record of violations and abuses