A buzz of excitement surrounds UFC 297—the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s first pay-per-view of the year this Saturday at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. It may not boast the most star-studded card, but the show brings forth a collection of bouts featuring several ranked fighters.
Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis
The main attraction of the event features a middleweight championship showdown between Strickland and the formidable Du Plessis. Strickland, currently ranked No. 12 in the Sherdog pound-for-pound rankings, faces a unique challenge from Du Plessis, currently unlisted in the P4P standings. Furthermore, in the exclusive Sherdog divisional rankings, Strickland holds the No. 2 spot in the middleweight division, while Du Plessis is ranked at No. 4. Beyond the technical spectacle, Strickland and Du Plessis are entangled in a web of bad blood. The feud escalated when “Stillknocks” taunted Strickland over his childhood abuse. This provocation led to a chaotic brawl in the crowd at UFC 296—an incident that was absent from the UFC 297 “Countdown” show. The choice to omit this scuffle raised eyebrows, particularly given the UFC’s swift packaging and spotlighting of the incident during the UFC 296 pay-per-view and across social media the following week. Despite the omission, the Strickland-Du Plessis narrative stands strong on its own. A surprising turn of events led Strickland to championship status, as he defeated two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in an impressive display of striking prowess. Du Plessis, boasting a perfect 6-0 record in the UFC, presents a formidable challenge with a remarkable +3.16 significant strike differential—the largest in middleweight history. This matchup promises a clash of styles pitting Strickland’s exceptional takedown defense against Du Plessis’ relentless takedown accuracy, curating a main event filled with suspense and anticipation.
Raquel Pennington vs. Mayra Bueno Silva
The co-main event features a clash for the vacant UFC bantamweight title between Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno Silva. Pennington, ranked 14th in the Sherdog women’s pound-for-pound rankings, faces the unranked but dangerous Bueno Silva. Sherdog’s exclusive divisional rankings put Pennington at No. 3 in the women’s bantamweight division, while Bueno Silva has moved up the fourth. Pennington, on an impressive five-fight winning streak, boasts a record-breaking 1,310 total strikes landed in the women’s bantamweight division. Meanwhile, Bueno Silva, a submission expert with seven submissions among her credentials, showcases a formidable 57.3% significant strike accuracy.
Arnold Allen vs. Movsar Evloev
The main card kicks off with a featherweight clash between Arnold Allen and the undefeated Movsar Evloev. Allen, ranked No. 6 in the featherweight division, seeks to come back to winning ways against the No. 10-ranked Russian wrestling sensation. Before facing Max Holloway at UFC on ESPN 44, Allen boasted an impressive 10-fight winning streak in the promotion. Meanwhile, Evloev enters the bout carrying the momentum of a remarkable seven-fight winning streak in the Las Vegas-based promotion.