UFC 297

UFC 297: Strickland vs. du Plessis
The poster for UFC 297: Strickland vs. du Plessis
PromotionUltimate Fighting Championship
DateJanuary 20, 2024 (2024-01-20)
VenueScotiabank Arena
CityToronto, Ontario, Canada
Attendance18,559[1]
Total gate$7,898,695[1]
Event chronology
UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Walker 2 UFC 297: Strickland vs. du Plessis UFC Fight Night: Dolidze vs. Imavov

UFC 297: Strickland vs. du Plessis was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on January 20, 2024, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[2]

Background

The event marked the promotion's seventh visit to Toronto and first since UFC 231 in December 2018.[2]

A UFC Middleweight Championship bout between current champion Sean Strickland and former KSW Welterweight Champion Dricus du Plessis headlined the event.[3]

A UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship bout for the vacant title between former title challenger Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno Silva took place at the event.[4] The title was vacated when former champion Amanda Nunes announced her retirement immediately after defending her title at UFC 289.[5]

A UFC Featherweight Championship bout between current champion Alexander Volkanovski and Ilia Topuria was expected to take place at this event.[6] However, Volkanovski was instead pulled to face Islam Makhachev for the UFC Lightweight Championship at UFC 294.[7] As a result, this fight was pushed back one month to headline UFC 298.[8]

A light heavyweight rematch between former KSW and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jan Błachowicz and Aleksandar Rakić was expected to take place at the event.[9] The pairing previously met at UFC on ESPN: Błachowicz vs. Rakić where Blachowicz won the fight after Rakić was rendered unable to continue due to a knee injury.[10] However, Błachowicz withdrew due to a shoulder injury and the bout was scrapped.[11]

A light heavyweight bout between former title challenger Dominick Reyes and Carlos Ulberg was scheduled for this event.[12] However, in late December 2023, it was announced that match was off due to an injury sustained by Ulberg.[13] They were rescheduled for UFC Fight Night: Brady vs. Luque two months later.[14]

At the weigh-ins, Ramon Taveras and Malcolm Gordon missed weight. Taveras weighed in at 139.75 pounds, three and three quarters pounds over the bantamweight non-title fight limit. Gordon weighed in at 127.5 pounds, one and a half pounds over the flyweight non-title fight limit. Both bouts proceeded at catchweight with Taveras forfeiting 30% and Gordon 20% of their purses, which went to their opponents Serhiy Sidey and Jimmy Flick respectively.[15]

Prior to the event, UFC president Dana White announced that the event had set new records for the highest grossing arena gate in UFC history and Canada.[16]

During the event's broadcast, former UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar was announced as the next "modern wing" UFC Hall of Fame inductee during June's International Fight Week festivities in Las Vegas.[17]

Results

Main card
Weight class Method Round Time Notes
Middleweight Dricus du Plessis def. Sean Strickland (c) Decision (split) (47–48, 48–47, 48–47) 5 5:00 [a]
Women's Bantamweight Raquel Pennington def. Mayra Bueno Silva Decision (unanimous) (49–46, 49–46, 49–45) 5 5:00 [b]
Welterweight Neil Magny def. Mike Malott TKO (punches) 3 4:45
Middleweight Chris Curtis def. Marc-André Barriault Decision (split) (30–27, 28–29, 30–27) 3 5:00
Featherweight Movsar Evloev def. Arnold Allen Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Preliminary card (ESPN / ESPN+)
Bantamweight Garrett Armfield def. Brad Katona Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Featherweight Sean Woodson def. Charles Jourdain Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Catchweight (139.75 lb) Ramon Taveras def. Serhiy Sidey Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Women's Strawweight Gillian Robertson def. Polyana Viana TKO (punches) 2 3:12
Early preliminary card (ESPN+ / UFC Fight Pass)
Welterweight Sam Patterson def. Yohan Lainesse Submission (rear-naked choke) 1 2:03
Women's Bantamweight Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Priscila Cachoeira Submission (anaconda choke) 3 4:21
Catchweight (127.5 lb) Jimmy Flick def. Malcolm Gordon Submission (arm-triangle choke) 2 1:17
  1. ^ For the UFC Middleweight Championship.
  2. ^ For the vacant UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship.

[18]

Bonus awards

The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.[19]

  • Fight of the Night: Dricus du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland
  • Performance of the Night: Gillian Robertson and Jasmine Jasudavicius

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Bohn, Mike (January 21, 2024). "UFC 297 post-event facts: Dricus Du Plessis, Raquel Pennington make history in title wins". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Archived from the original on January 22, 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Davidson, Neil (November 6, 2023). "Middleweight title on the line as UFC returns to Toronto with January card". thestar.com. Archived from the original on November 20, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  3. ^ Leonard, Harvey (November 6, 2023). "Sean Strickland's first title defense announced for UFC 297, Khamzat Chimaev misses out". mmanews.com. Archived from the original on November 6, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  4. ^ Calhoun, Curtis (November 3, 2023). "UFC 297: Raquel Pennington vs. Mayra Bueno Silva booked for vacant UFC bantamweight title". mmanews.com. Archived from the original on November 4, 2023. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  5. ^ Mahjouri, Shakiel (June 11, 2023). "UFC 289 results, highlights: Amanda Nunes announces sudden retirement after dominant win over Irene Aldana". cbssports.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2023. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  6. ^ Cain, Jeff (October 9, 2023). "Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria set for UFC 297". mmaweekly.com. Archived from the original on October 10, 2023. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  7. ^ Martin, Damon (October 10, 2023). "Charles Oliveira out; Alexander Volkanovski now faces Islam Makhachev in UFC 294 main event". mmafighting.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  8. ^ Faria, Colby (November 6, 2023). "Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria featherweight title bout headlines UFC 298". mmanews.com. Archived from the original on November 6, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  9. ^ "Jan Blachowicz vs. Aleksandar Rakic 2 officially booked for UFC 297 in Toronto". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. November 11, 2023. Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  10. ^ Doherty, Dan (May 15, 2022). "UFC Vegas 54: Aleksandar Rakic injures knee, falls to Jan Blachowicz". cagesidepress.com. Archived from the original on May 15, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  11. ^ King, Nolan (December 7, 2023). "Jan Blachowicz announces surgery, issues emotional statement on UFC 297 withdrawal". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  12. ^ Hannoun, Farah (November 13, 2023). "Carlos Ulberg gets wish, meets skidding Dominick Reyes at UFC 297 on Jan. 20". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Archived from the original on November 14, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  13. ^ Bohn, Mike (December 30, 2023). "'Frustrated' Dominick Reyes says Carlos Ulberg out of UFC 297 due to injury". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Archived from the original on December 31, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  14. ^ "Dominick Reyes vs. Carlos Ulberg rebooked for UFC Atlantic City in March". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. January 9, 2024. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  15. ^ "UFC 297: Strickland vs. Du Plessis weigh-in results". cagesidepress.com. January 19, 2024. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  16. ^ Reinsmith, Trent (January 19, 2024). "UFC 297 Breaks Canadian Live Gate Record For Arena Event". Forbes. Archived from the original on January 20, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  17. ^ Bohn, Mike (January 20, 2024). "Frankie Edgar announced for 2024 UFC Hall of Fame class". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Archived from the original on January 22, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  18. ^ "UFC 297: Strickland vs. du Plessis". UFC. Archived from the original on January 21, 2024. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  19. ^ Mazique, Brian (January 21, 2024). "UFC 297 results - winners, finishes, bonuses and highlights". forbes.com. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.