"They were very close rounds" - Ex-UFC title challenger feels Sean Strickland beat Dricus du Plessis by "four rounds to one" at UFC 297

A former UFC title contender recently asserted that Sean Strickland marginally defeated Dricus du Plessis in their closely contested bout at UFC 297.

Du Plessis secured the middleweight championship after a rigorous five-round battle against Strickland last Saturday at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada.

The split decision delivered by the judges saw Sal D’Amato scoring the bout 48-47 in favor of Strickland, acknowledging his dominance in rounds 1, 3, and 5. In contrast, judges Derek Cleary and Eric Colon awarded the South African the victory with 48-47 scores, crediting him for rounds 2, 3, and 4.

However, former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith holds an opposing view to the judges' scorecard. He believes that Strickland successfully defended his title and should have been declared the victor in the main event of UFC 297.

During a recent podcast on Michael Bisping's YouTube channel, Smith stated:

"I'm kind of catching a lot of sh*t for this but, I really thought Sean won four rounds. And I'm not saying that it wasn't a close fight, I thought they were very very close rounds. But in the end, I thought that four to one Sean."

Check out Anthony Smith's comments below (1:48):

'Stillknocks' incorporated a mix of takedowns and kicks, applying constant pressure on Strickland throughout pivotal moments in the match. Despite causing cuts on Strickland's face, du Plessis endured damage from the American's jabs due to his consistent aggression.

Dricus du Plessis demonstrated versatility in his approach throughout the fight, employing techniques like stance adjustments and delivering kicks. Conversely, Strickland maintained a classic boxing stance, relying on jabs, straight right hands, and snap kicks targeting the body.

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Dana White asserts he had Sean Strickland winning at UFC 297

Dana White thinks that Sean Strickland earned the victory in the main event against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297.

The UFC CEO recognized that the five-round bout was highly competitive, with both fighters having notable moments. While White credited du Plessis for his performance, he emphasized that if he were scoring the fight, Strickland would have emerged victorious.

During the UFC 297 post-fight press conference, White said:

"We were just looking at how the media had scored it and right down the middle. I had it 2-2 going into the last round and I thought that Strickland won the last round. Guys who were sitting at the same table had it the other way. It was a close fight."

He added:

"I thought Strickland looked great in the first two rounds. The jab was f**king beautiful. You don’t see jabs like that in MMA."

Check out Dana White's comments below: