Strickland and Du Plessis at UFC 297. Uncover their intense rivalry, fight details, betting odds, and how to catch the action live. on January 20 in Toronto.
UFC 297: Strickland Vs Du Plessis Main Event
The UFC is making its way to Canada for the first pay-per-view event of the year, and all eyes are on the middleweight title clash between Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis. What started as a seemingly calm matchup took an unexpected turn during a press conference leading up to UFC 296.
Things took a wild twist when Strickland and Du Plessis engaged in a heated exchange, with both fighters resorting to tasteless banter that included homophobic slurs and references to child abuse. The tension reached its peak at UFC 296 when the two rivals couldn’t contain their animosity and ended up brawling in the crowd.
Now, the stage is set for a showdown like no other at UFC 297 in Toronto’s Scotiabank Theatre on Jan. 20.
Strickland Vs Du Plessis Date, Time & Venue
- Date: January 20
- Location: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
- Start Time: 10 p.m. ET (Main card)
Sean Strickland Vs Du Plessis Betting Odds
As per Sources, Strickland is currently favored with odds at -135. This stands in stark contrast to his last fight against Israel Adesanya, where he was a significant +500 underdog. Du Plessis, on the other hand, is positioned as a moderate underdog with odds at +110.
Turning to the co-main event, Pennington is seen as a +145 underdog, while Bueno Silva is the favorite, though only slightly, with odds at -164. The betting odds paint an intriguing picture, setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting night of matchups.
Sean Strickland Vs Du Plessis Fight what time does it start?
UFC 297 is gearing up for an action-packed night at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada, on Saturday, January 20.
Things kick off with the early prelims at 11:30 pm GMT (4:30 pm PT, 6:30 pm CT, 7:30 pm ET), followed by the regular prelims at 1 am GMT on Sunday, January 21 (6 pm PT, 8 pm CT, 9 pm ET on Saturday). Get ready for the main event at 3 am GMT on Sunday (8 pm PT, 10 pm CT, 11 pm ET on Saturday).
Sean Strickland Vs Du Plessis How to Watch Live?
Catch all the UFC 297 excitement live in the UK on TNT Sports, with the option to stream the fights on their app and website. In the US, ESPN+ will be streaming the action, along with the UFC’s Fight Pass. For fans in the United States, ESPN’s pay-per-view on TV and ESPN+ for online streaming are your go-to options.
Additionally, subscriptions to various channels like Sling TV, Fubo TV, Apple TV+, Paramount+, DirecTV, ESPN+, and Hulu+ offer alternative ways to enjoy the UFC 297 fights.
Sean Strickland UFC Career
- This marks Strickland’s second consecutive UFC headliner, following his loss in the main event of UFC Fight Night 216 on December 17.
- Currently, on a two-fight losing streak, Strickland faces a crucial moment in his career at UFC 297.
- Moving up to the light heavyweight division for the first time, Strickland has previously competed in the middleweight and welterweight classes.
- A victory in this bout would make Strickland the 15th fighter in UFC history to secure wins in three different weight classes.
- Noteworthy for his striking prowess, Strickland set a single-fight record for a UFC middleweight bout by landing 186 significant strikes at UFC on ESPN 28.
- In UFC middleweight competition, Strickland boasts the third-best significant strike rate in divisional history, with 6.01 strikes landed per minute, following Paulo Costa (6.49) and Gregory Rodrigues (6.19).
- Demonstrating strong defensive skills, Strickland holds the highest rate among active fighters in the UFC middleweight class, defending against 66.2 percent of all opponent strike attempts.
- His back-to-back victories at UFC Fight Night 181 and UFC Fight Night 182 within 14 days are tied for the third shortest duration between non-tournament UFC wins.
READ MORE ABOUT: UFC 297 Schedule, card, events, Date & How To Watch live.
Du Plessis Fighting Career
- Du Plessis initiated his professional MMA journey on July 25, 2013, at EFC Africa 21: Pena vs. Hassan, facing Tshikangu Makuebo on the main card.
- In his debut, Du Plessis secured a victory over Makuebo, who held a 1-2-0 professional MMA record, achieving the win by KO/TKO at 1:18 of Round 1.
- Known as “Stillknocks,” Du Plessis continued his success in the UFC, making his debut on October 10, 2020, against Markus Perez at UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs. Sandhagen, entering the octagon with a 14-2-0 professional MMA record.
- Du Plessis triumphed in his UFC debut, defeating Markus Perez by KO/TKO at 3:22 of Round 1.
- Building on his initial success, Du Plessis has competed in the UFC four more times, maintaining an undefeated record with 4 wins and no losses in the promotion.
- As of now, Dricus Du Plessis stands with an impressive 4-0-0 record in his Ultimate Fighting Championship career.
Conclusion:
The article previews UFC 297’s main event featuring Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis in Toronto. It emphasizes the fighters’ intense rivalry, unexpected events leading up to the match, and notable details such as fight schedules, betting odds, and viewing options. The profiles of Strickland and Du Plessis add depth, making it an engaging read for fans eagerly anticipating the event.
