The hostility brewing between Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis finally hit its boiling point at UFC 297 on Saturday night in Toronto.
The two clashed through five rounds, taking the bout to the distance, but in the end it was Du Plessis taking Strickland’s middleweight belt after bloodying the former champ over his left eye and winning a split decision.
Judges Derek Cleary and Eric Colon scored the bout 48-47 in favour of Du Plessis, while Sal D’Amato had it 48-47 for Strickland.
“This is history!” Du Plessis screamed in honour of his homeland. “South Africa … we can probably hear them from outside.”
It
