Pros react after Dricus Du Plessis dethrones Sean Strickland at UFC 297

Tonight’s UFC 297 event was headlined by a middleweight title fight featuring Dricus Du Plessis challenging Sean Strickland.

Du Plessis (21-2 MMA) was entering his first career UFC title bout sporting an eight-fight winning streak, his most recent being a second round TKO victory over former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 in July. The South African had earned finishes in 19 of his 20 career wins prior to tonight’s headliner and was confident he w0uld do the same when he collided with ‘Tarzan’ this evening.

Meanwhile, Sean Strickland (28-6 MMA) had captured the promotion’s middleweight world title at September’s UFC 293 event, this after scoring a lopsided unanimous decision victory over Israel Adesanya. That win had marked ‘Tarzan’s’ third in a row, as he had previously scored victories over Abusupiyan Magomedov and Nassourdine Imavov respectively.

Tonight’s UFC 297 main event proved to be an epic back and forth affair. Sean Strickland had a great opening round, busting up the left eye of the challenger with a flurry of jabs. However, Dricus Du Plessis was able to turn the tide in rounds two and three, using his pace and forward pressure to get a slight edge on the American. After a highly productive fourth round, most fans and analysts had the fight either 3-1 for Du Plessis or all tied up at 2-2 headed into the fifth and final round. Although ‘Tarzan’ seemingly got the better of the South African in Round 5, it did not prove to be enough to retain the middleweight championship.

Official UFC 297 Results: Dricus Du Plessis def. Sean Strickland by split decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47)

Check out how the pros reacted to ‘Strickland vs. Du Plessis’ below:

No way this isn’t epic!!! #ufc297 #mainevent

— Jamahal Hill (@JamahalH) January 21, 2024

This card will all be forgiven by the many if the main event delivers. People only remember the last fight if it’s a barn burner.

— Josh Thomson (@THEREALPUNK) January 21, 2024

Strickland ☝🏽 team @XC_MMA

— Kai Kamaka III (@kaiboikamaka) January 21, 2024

Nobody gets a bigger pop than Michael Buffer introducing the main event #UFC297

— Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155) January 21, 2024

Sean looks leaner this fight but also more nervous than usual. Dricus looks relaxed and unfazed. We’ll see if Sean can drag him to deep water with that jab and pressure

— Josh Thomson (@THEREALPUNK) January 21, 2024

Strickland 4th round tko calling it

— Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155) January 21, 2024

Dricus kicks come faster than they seem.

— Josh Thomson (@THEREALPUNK) January 21, 2024

Lovely Jab by Strickland. This is controlling the standup

— JIMI MANUWA (@POSTERBOYJM) January 21, 2024

@SStricklandMMA with round 1 just zinging that jab!! #ufc297

— Corey 'Overtime' Anderson (@CoreyA_MMA) January 21, 2024

1-1 it’s a good scrap this is what we hoped for #UFC297

— Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155) January 21, 2024

Sean needs to put a little more pressure but measured pressure. He’s controlling the fight but needs more pressure to get Dricus to make a mistake from the pressure

— Josh Thomson (@THEREALPUNK) January 21, 2024

Driscus looking like his gas tank is fading but I got him up 2-1

— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) January 21, 2024

Fighting is all about rhythm. Du Plessis is doing a great job of keeping Strickland out of his rhythm. We aren’t seeing the normal Strickland because of the constant breaks in rhythm. SS needs to turn it up. I figured round 3 would be the time. But not really. #ufc297

— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) January 21, 2024

Dricus is missing so much that it’s more exhausting than actually landing shots

— Josh Thomson (@THEREALPUNK) January 21, 2024

2-1 Strickland, DDP looks like he’s tiring out I think if Strickland ramps it up he finishes him here

— Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155) January 21, 2024

3-1 ddp

— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) January 21, 2024

I’ve always heard wrestling wins fights let’s see how this goes . @ufc

— Brian Ortega (@BrianTcity) January 21, 2024

2-2 it’s anybodies fight still #ufc297

— Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155) January 21, 2024

Call
It now and still or new!! Wassup!!

— Brian Ortega (@BrianTcity) January 21, 2024

Give them one more round #UFC297

— Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155) January 21, 2024

This fight shows how important a cut man can be. Blood looks bad and it never stopped once he got cut. It could have an affect on the scoring in close fights

— Josh Thomson (@THEREALPUNK) January 21, 2024

I got Strickland 3-2

— Justin Tafa (@justin_tafa) January 21, 2024

Post-fight reactions to Dricus Du Plessis defeating Sean Strickland at UFC 297:

Fuck Sean Strickland.

— Dillon Danis (@dillondanis) January 21, 2024

Thought Sean won 1, 2 and 5. Either way great fight and congrats do DDP.

— Kai Kamaka III (@kaiboikamaka) January 21, 2024

Easy work

— Bo Nickal (@NoBickal) January 21, 2024

pic.twitter.com/DUdVfFILHz

— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) January 21, 2024

https://twitter.com/KChimaev/status/1748958122129883500

Congratulations @dricusduplessis on becoming Champion of the world 🇿🇦

— Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) January 21, 2024

Were you surprised by tonight’s main event outcome? Who would you like to see Dricus Du Plessis fight next following his split decision victory over Sean Strickland this evening in Toronto?