Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis have been announced as the main event for the highly anticipated UFC 297 pay-per-view event. This will be the UFC’s first pay-per-view of 2024 and fans are eagerly awaiting the clash between these two middleweight fighters.
The official weigh-ins took place on Friday morning at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, setting the stage for Saturday’s event. Strickland, the current middleweight champion, was the first to step onto the scale and weighed in at 184.75 pounds. This will be his first defense of the title. Challenger Dricus du Plessis successfully made weight at 184 pounds, ensuring that the fight will proceed as scheduled.
In addition to the main event, the co-main event will feature a battle for the vacant bantamweight title between Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno Silva. Both fighters successfully made weight, with Pennington weighing in at 134.8 pounds and Silva at 135 pounds.
While the main card weigh-ins went smoothly, there were some complications during the preliminary portion of the card. Bantamweight fighter Ramon Taveras missed weight at 139.75 pounds for his debut fight against Serhiy Sidey, who weighed in at 135 pounds. Taveras will forfeit 30 percent of his purse to Sidey as a penalty. Additionally, Malcolm Gordon missed weight for the second consecutive time, coming in at 127.5 pounds for his flyweight bout against Jimmy Flick, who weighed in at 126 pounds. Gordon will forfeit 20 percent of his purse to Flick.
Prior to the weigh-ins, it was announced by UFC officials that Priscila Cachoeira had difficulty cutting down to the flyweight limit. As a result, her bout against Jasmine Jasudavicius was changed to a bantamweight bout. Both fighters successfully made weight for the matchup.
The official UFC 297 weigh-in results are as follows:
Main Card (ESPN+ PPV, 10 p.m. ET):
– Sean Strickland (184.75) vs. Dricus du Plessis (184)
– Raquel Pennington (134.8) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva (135)
– Neil Magny (170.75) vs. Mike Malott (170.5)
– Chris Curtis (185.25) vs. Marc-Andre Barriault (184.5)
– Arnold Allen (145.5) vs. Movsar Evloev (145.75)
Preliminary Card (ESPNN/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET):
– Brad Katona vs. Garrett Armfield (135.25)
– Charles Jourdain (145.5) vs. Sean Woodson (145.5)
– Serhiy Sidey (135) vs. Ramon Taveras (139.75)*
– Gillian Robertson (115.75) vs. Polyana Viana (115.75)
Early Prelims (ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET):
– Yohan Lainesse (170.75) vs. Sam Patterson (169.5)
– Jasmine Jasudavicius (133.0) vs. Priscila Cachoeira (133.5)
– Malcolm Gordon (127.5)** vs. Jimmy Flick (126)
It is clear that the UFC 297 event is shaping up to be an exciting night of fights, with top-notch fighters from various weight classes ready to showcase their skills in the Octagon. Fans can expect intense battles and thrilling moments as these athletes compete for victory.
As fight night approaches, anticipation builds for the main event between Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis. Both fighters have proven themselves in the middleweight division and are determined to come out on top. With Strickland defending his title for the first time, and du Plessis hungry for victory, this matchup promises to be a clash of titans.
In the co-main event, Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno Silva will go head-to-head for the vacant bantamweight title. Both fighters have shown their skills and determination in previous fights, and this battle will undoubtedly be a thrilling contest.
Despite the complications during the preliminary weigh-ins, the bouts will proceed as scheduled. Ramon Taveras and Malcolm Gordon will face their respective opponents, albeit with penalties for missing weight. Taveras will forfeit 30 percent of his purse to Serhiy Sidey, while Gordon will forfeit 20 percent of his purse to Jimmy Flick.
The UFC 297 event is set to take place at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, providing an electric atmosphere for the fighters and fans alike. As the first pay-per-view of 2024, this event marks