‘No Immediate Rematch’ Says White
Dana White backs Sean Strickland for the win and says no to an immediate rematch.
In a closely contested main event at UFC 297, Sean Strickland was on the wrong end of a split decision against Dricus du Plessis. Despite the judge’s ruling, UFC Boss Dana White firmly believes that Strickland should have emerged victorious in the intense battle inside the Octagon.
Dana White openly admitted that the five-round battle at UFC 297 was a tightly contested affair, with Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis showcasing their skills and having their fair share of moments.
Despite the closeness of the fight, White made it clear that he didn’t undermine Du Plessis’ efforts. However, in White’s hypothetical scoring, he envisions Strickland as the one walking away from Toronto with the UFC middleweight title.
White Backs Strickland
Addressing the media during the post-fight press conference for UFC 297, Dana White offered a candid admission regarding his scoring of the bout. White straightforwardly confessed that he had scored the fight in favour of Strickland.
According to the UFC Boss, he perceived the contest as even leading up to the championship rounds, but in his assessment, Strickland’s performance in the final five minutes stood out, influencing his decision.
‘’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.”
“I thought Strickland looked great in the first two rounds,”
“The jab was f*cking beautiful. You don’t see jabs like that in MMA. The jab did what it was supposed to do. Both of [du Plessis’] eyes were swelling shut. He slowed down in the third and fourth, [and] du Plessis kept coming forward then started mixing up takedowns and punches.”
White said post-fight press conference.
Commenting on the rematch White said:
“Eventually, these two are going to end up fighting again, I’m sure,”
“But we’re not thinking about an immediate rematch right now.”
Du Plessis Calls Out Adesanya
Du Plessis held a different perspective on the outcome of their UFC 297 showdown, highlighting the subjective nature of judging in the sport.
‘’Just for the record, are there some people that think I lost the fight?”
“Dana said [I lost the fight]? Well, bulls*it.”
Du Plessis said at the post-fight press conference.
Following his recent victory, Du Plessis demonstrated a swift and bold move by calling out former champion Israel Adesanya. This move came as no surprise, especially considering that the two fighters were initially slated to face each other the previous year. However, Du Plessis encountered an unfortunate setback due to an injury, which ultimately prevented him from participating in the scheduled bout and Strickland taking the belt.
As the controversy surrounding the UFC 297 main event continues, Dana White’s firm stance on Sean Strickland’s victory and rejection of an immediate rematch set the stage for discussions on judging in mixed martial arts.
(Transcribed by MMA Fighting)
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