TORONTO — Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis were given right into a struggle within the nation closing week in Las Vegas. This weekend, they step into the Octagon towards one every other in earnest.
Strickland will safeguard his UFC middleweight identify towards Du Plessis in the principle match of UFC 297 on Saturday at Scotiabank Enviornment. The 2 were given right into a sizzling back-and-forth at a information convention in December and next therefore were given right into a scuffle within the stands all over UFC 296.
For probably the most phase, this life has been exempt from any drama between the 2 males, which mutual recognize being exchanged. The meat would possibly had been squashed, however the fisticuffs shall be professional Saturday evening.
ESPN has Du Plessis ranked Deny. 2 and Strickland ranked Deny. 5 on the planet at middleweight.
Strickland (28-5) pulled off a significant disappointed over then-champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 in September, successful via one-sided unanimous choice. The California local, who lives and trains in Las Vegas, has gained 3 in a row. Strickland, 32, has gained 9 of his closing 11 fights. Du Plessis (20-2) has gained 8 immediately and has a really perfect 6-0 document within the UFC. The South African fighter prohibited former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker by means of TKO closing July at UFC 290. Du Plessis, 30, is a former champion in EFC and KSW.
Within the co-main match at UFC 297, Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno Silva will compete for the vacant UFC girls’s bantamweight identify. Amanda Nunes, the category’s longtime champion and the most efficient girls’s MMA fighter of all generation, retired closing June, departure the belt with out an proprietor. Pennington (15-8), a 35-year-old Colorado local, has gained 5 immediately. Bueno Silva (10-2-1, 1 NC), a 32-year-old Brazilian combating out of Florida, defeated Holly Holm by means of submission in her closing bout in July, however the win was once overturned to a incorrect match following a Bueno Silva failed drug take a look at for prescribed cure.
Additionally at the card, Canada’s Mike Malott will face Neil Magny in a welterweight bout, Arnold Allen takes on Movsar Evloev in a vital featherweight contender matchup and Chris Curtis faces Marc-Andre Barriault in a collision of middleweight motion opponents.
Apply alongside as Brett Okamoto, Marc Raimondi, Jeff Wagenheim and Dre Waters recap the motion because it occurs or watch the fights live on ESPN+ PPV.
