Toronto is the destination for the first PPV event of the year, UFC 297. The card is topped with a pair of title fights, streaking Raquel Pennington takes on submission specialist Mayra Bueno Silva for the vacant bantamweight title left by the great Amanda Nunes last year. The main event is for middleweight gold with new champion Sean Strickland defending his belt for the first time against Dricus Du Plessis a man who is perfect through six UFC fights.
Du Plessis impressed massively last time out after crushing Robert Whittaker within two rounds at UFC 290. He has a 95% finish rate across 20 career wins. Strickland produced the upset of the year after snatching the belt from all time great Israel Adesanya last September in a five round masterclass. After a career best performance the confidence on Strickland has grown massively and believes he will get his first defence this weekend in Canada.
Pennington is on a five fight win streak, the longest active streak in the division and steps up to compete for the vacant belt against Brazilian submission star Bueno Silva. After a positive test for Ritalin her last victory was changed to a no contest which stopped a three fight submission win streak, the positive result was confirmed as a prescribed drug by her physicians as medication for ADHD. The overturned result was originally a ninja choke submission in the second round over legend Holly Holm, an impressive win worthy of a shot at gold.
UFC 297 – Main Card
Main Event Middleweight Title – Sean Strickland vs Dricus Du Plessis
Result: Dricus du Plessis def. Sean Strickland by unanimous decision.
Highlights:
Women’s Bantamweight Title – Raquel Pennington vs Mayra Bueno Silva
Result: Raquel Pennington def. Mayra Bueno Silva by unanimous decision
Highlights:
Welterweight – Neil Magny vs Mike Malott
Result: Neil Magny def. Mike Malott by TKO in round three
Highlights:
Middleweight – Chris Curtis vs Marc-André Barriault
Result: Chris Curtis def. Marc-Andre Barriault by split decision.
Highlights:
Featherweight – Arnold Allen vs Movsar Evloev
Result:
Highlights: Mosvar Evloev def. Arnold Allen by unanimous decision
UFC 297 – Prelims
Bantamweight – Brad Katona vs Garrett Armfield
Result: Garrett Arnfuekd def. Brad Katona by unanimous decision
Highlights:
Featherweight – Charles Jourdain vs Sean Woodson
Result: Sean Woodson def. Charles Jourdain by split decision
Highlights:
Bantamweight – Serhiy Sidey vs Ramon Taveras
Result: Ramon Taveras def. Serhiy by split decision
Highlights:
Women’s Strawweight – Gillian Robertson vs Polyana Viana
Result: Gillian Robertson def. Polyana Viana by TKO in round two
Highlights:
UFC 297 – Early Prelims
Welterweight – Yohan Lainesse vs Sam Patterson
Result: Sam Patterson def. Yohan Lainesse by submission via rear naked choke in R1
Highlights:
Women’s Bantamweight – Jasmine Jasudavicius vs Priscilla Cachoeira
Result:
Highlights: Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Priscilla Cachoeira by submission via anaconda choke in round three
Flyweight – Malcolm Gordon vs Jimmy Flick
Result: Jimmy Flick def. Malcolm Gordon by submission via arm triangle in round two
Highlights:
