MiddleweightTITLE FIGHT5 rounds scheduled
31-7-0
RESULT
Dricus Du Plessis def. Sean Strickland (Split Decision)
Split Decision · Round 5 · 5:00
Saturday, January 20, 2024
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Canada
Dricus Du Plessis defeated Sean Strickland by Split Decision in round 5 (5:00) in the Middleweight title main event of UFC 297: Strickland vs du Plessis, held Saturday, January 20, 2024 at Scotiabank Arena, Toronto.
Fight stats
Sean Strickland
Dricus Du Plessis
0
Knockdowns
0
173 of 408
Significant strikes
137 of 354
42%
Sig. strike accuracy
39%
183 of 419
Total strikes
140 of 358
0 of 0
Takedowns
6 of 11
—
Takedown accuracy
55%
0
Submission attempts
0
0
Reversals
0
0:00
Control time
2:08
Significant strikes by target
157 of 387
Head
81 of 283
10 of 15
Body
32 of 37
6 of 6
Leg
24 of 34
173 of 408
Distance
134 of 348
0 of 0
Clinch
3 of 5
0 of 0
Ground
0 of 1
By round
ROUND 1
0
KD
0
34 of 75
Sig. str.
18 of 51
39 of 80
Total str.
19 of 52
0 of 0
Takedowns
2 of 3
0
Sub. att
0
0:00
Ctrl
0:28
ROUND 2
0
KD
0
22 of 62
Sig. str.
26 of 60
26 of 66
Total str.
26 of 60
0 of 0
Takedowns
1 of 1
0
Sub. att
0
0:00
Ctrl
0:22
ROUND 3
0
KD
0
31 of 87
Sig. str.
29 of 84
31 of 87
Total str.
29 of 85
0 of 0
Takedowns
0 of 0
0
Sub. att
0
0:00
Ctrl
0:00
ROUND 4
0
KD
0
33 of 85
Sig. str.
29 of 73
34 of 87
Total str.
31 of 75
0 of 0
Takedowns
3 of 5
0
Sub. att
0
0:00
Ctrl
1:18
ROUND 5
0
KD
0
53 of 99
Sig. str.
35 of 86
53 of 99
Total str.
35 of 86
0 of 0
Takedowns
0 of 2
0
Sub. att
0
0:00
Ctrl
0:00
Judges' Scorecards
Derek Cleary
| # | Strickland | Plessis |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 9 |
| 2 | 9 | 10 |
| 3 | 9 | 10 |
| 4 | 9 | 10 |
| 5 | 10 | 9 |
Total4748
Eric Colón
| # | Strickland | Plessis |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 9 |
| 2 | 9 | 10 |
| 3 | 9 | 10 |
| 4 | 9 | 10 |
| 5 | 10 | 9 |
Total4748
Sal D'Amato
| # | Strickland | Plessis |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 9 |
| 2 | 9 | 10 |
| 3 | 10 | 9 |
| 4 | 9 | 10 |
| 5 | 10 | 9 |
Total4847
Media Scores
10
Strickland
–
13
Plessis
●48–47 Plessis×13●48–47 Strickland×9●49–46 Strickland
All 23 media scorecards▾
- Steve Duncan · mma.uno48–47Plessis
- MMAMania.com48–47Plessis
- BloodyElbow.com48–47Plessis
- Shakiel Mahjouri · CBS Sports48–47Plessis
- Danny Segura · MMAJunkie.com48–47Plessis
- Keith Shillan · Sherdog.com48–47Plessis
- Ryan Frederick · WrestlingObserver.com48–47Plessis
- Jed Meshew · MMAFighting.com48–47Plessis
- Damien Bartonek · Fox West Texas48–47Plessis
- Scott Fontana · New York Post48–47Plessis
- Nick Baldwin · theScore48–47Plessis
- Scottie Smith · Sherdog.com48–47Plessis
- John Pollock · POST Wrestling48–47Plessis
- Jake Noecker · Cageside Press48–47Strickland
- Dayne Fox · BloodyElbow.com48–47Strickland
- Ben Duffy · Sherdog.com48–47Strickland
- Alex Behunin · MMA Mania48–47Strickland
- Patrick McCorry · Cageside Press48–47Strickland
- Chris De Santiago · MiddleEasy.com48–47Strickland
- Michael DeSantis · MMASucka.com48–47Strickland
- Seán Sheehan · SevereMMA.com48–47Strickland
- Brian Knapp · Sherdog.com48–47Strickland
- CombatPress.com49–46Strickland
Fan Scorecards
58%
Strickland
2%
Draw
41%
Plessis
4,276 fan scorecards submitted
●48–47 Strickland49.3%●48–47 Plessis37.4%●49–46 Strickland6.7%●49–46 Plessis2.2%
Fans' round-by-round verdict
R1
97%
Strickland
R2
63%
Plessis
R3
69%
Plessis
R4
96%
Plessis
R5
95%
Strickland
Scorecard data via mmadecisions.com
Referee
Marc Goddard
Time format
5 Rnd (5-5-5-5-5)
Pre-fight comparison▾
Tale of the Tape
31-7-0
Record
23-3-0
2
Win Streak
0
35
Age
32
6'1"
185 cm
Height
6'1"
185 cm
76"
193 cm
Reach
76"
193 cm
—
Stance
—
Middleweight
Weight Class
Middleweight
—
Nationality
—
Striking Profile
5.98
SLpM
5.18
42%
Str. Acc.
48%
4.53
SApM
4.33
—
Str. Def.
—
Grappling Profile
0.66
TD Avg.
2.22
62%
TD Acc.
51%
68%
TD Def.
34%
—
Sub. Avg.
—
Recent form (last 5 fights)
Sean Strickland · 3-2
- WUFC 328: Chimaev vs StricklandSat, May 9, 2026Split Decision · R5 · 5:00 · Middleweight
- WUFC Fight Night: Strickland vs HernandezSat, Feb 21, 2026TKO · R3 · 2:23 · Middleweight
- LUFC 312: Du Plessis vs Strickland 2Sat, Feb 8, 2025Unanimous Decision · R5 · 5:00 · Middleweight
- W
- LUFC 297: Strickland vs du PlessisSat, Jan 20, 2024Split Decision · R5 · 5:00 · Middleweight
Dricus Du Plessis · 4-1
- LUFC 319: Du Plessis vs Chimaev: Du Plessis vs ChimaevSat, Aug 16, 2025Unanimous Decision · R5 · 5:00 · Middleweight
- WUFC 312: Du Plessis vs Strickland 2Sat, Feb 8, 2025Unanimous Decision · R5 · 5:00 · Middleweight
- WUFC 305: Du Plessis vs AdesanyaSat, Aug 17, 2024Submission · R4 · 3:38 · Middleweight
- WUFC 297: Strickland vs du PlessisSat, Jan 20, 2024Split Decision · R5 · 5:00 · Middleweight
- W
Common Opponents
Head-to-Head History
Career Averages
Based on 25 fights · 10 fights
97.2
Avg sig. strikes
77.0
0.72
Avg takedowns
2.20
1:21
Avg control time
1:45
186
Career high strikes
147
4
Career high TDs
6
Strike Distribution
Sean Strickland
Strike target
Dricus Du Plessis
81%
Head
59%
14%
Body
18%
5%
Leg
23%
Sean Strickland
Strike position
Dricus Du Plessis
92%
Distance
82%
3%
Clinch
8%
5%
Ground
10%