Dricus Du Plessis vs Sean Strickland Result & Stats

Per round

Who controlled each round, then the full box score round by round.

Round lean · who controlled each round

Du Plessis

Strickland

R1

Strickland

46–54

R2

Du Plessis

59–41

R3

Even

48–52

R4

Du Plessis

60–40

R5

Strickland

40–60

Dricus Du Plessis

Sean Strickland

Significant strikes

137/354

173/408

Total strikes

140/358

183/419

Knockdowns

0

Even

0

Takedowns

6/11

0/0

Submission attempts

0

Even

0

Control time

2:08

0:00

Fight arc

Cumulative significant strikes round by round — the shape of how the fight unfolded, with knockdowns and the finish marked.

Strickland out-landed by 36 significant strikes over 5 rounds (137–173).

Du Plessis137

Strickland173

Tale of the Tape

The biometric deltas where one side genuinely has an edge.

Dricus Du PlessisvsSean Strickland

30

Age

2y

younger

32

6'1"

185cm

Height

Even

6'1"

185cm

76"

193cm

Reach

Even

76"

193cm

Edge sizeSlightNotableMajor

UFC experienceTotal octagon time + bouts

80 min

7 bouts

Octagon time

239 min

more

319 min

21 bouts

Scorecards

Per-judge round-by-round scores. Source: MMA Decisions.

Scorecards not yet ingested for this bout.

Per-judge scorecards are backfilled from MMA Decisions on a rolling basis. Recent decisions are highest priority; older bouts populate as the backfill catches up. Check back later or browse the judges directory for cards we've already loaded.

Weigh-in

Official scale figures — both fighters made the contracted limit.

Dricus Du Plessis

On weight

184 lbs

On weight

Sean Strickland

On weight

184.8 lbs

On weight

Career context

Record, rank, and streak entering — and the movement after.

Dricus Du Plessis

Sean Strickland

Du Plessis Strickland

Record entering

UFC record before this bout

6-0

15-5

Record entering

UFC record before this bout

Dricus Du Plessis

6-0

Sean Strickland

15-5

Rank entering

Division rank at fight-night

#2

Champion

Rank entering

Division rank at fight-night

Dricus Du Plessis

#2

Sean Strickland

Champion

Streak entering

Win or loss streak before this bout

W6

W3

Streak entering

Win or loss streak before this bout

Dricus Du Plessis

W6

Sean Strickland

W3

Streak after

What this result did to their run

W7

L1

Streak after

What this result did to their run

Dricus Du Plessis

W7

Sean Strickland

L1

Rank movement after

Vs. rank entering their next bout in this division

Won title (was #2)

Lost title (now #1)

Rank movement after

Vs. rank entering their next bout in this division

Dricus Du Plessis

Won title (was #2)

Sean Strickland

Lost title (now #1)

Next fight

Their following UFC bout

Won · SUB

Won · DEC

Next fight

Their following UFC bout

Dricus Du Plessis

Won · SUB

Sean Strickland

Won · DEC

Editorial notes3 notes

Context
Du Plessis’s first UFC title fight after consecutive wins over Robert Whittaker and Derek Brunson. Strickland was making his first title defense after upsetting Israel Adesanya at UFC 293.
Judging
UFCStats totals: Strickland landed more significant strikes overall (140 vs 125) but Du Plessis was credited with three knockdowns to Strickland’s one, plus a significant takedown attempt edge that swung judges on the close rounds.
Controversy
Decision drew significant pushback in real time on broadcast and in post-fight analysis. Multiple media outlets and analysts scored the bout for Strickland; the official judges scored it 48-47, 48-47, 47-48 for Du Plessis.
Source

Historical odds & result

Pre-fight betting lines from the market for this bout, marked against what actually happened.

Moneyline

Dricus Du Plessis-112Hit
Sean Strickland-108Miss

Total rounds

Line · 3.5

Over+138Hit
Under-115Miss

Goes the distance

Yes+220Hit
No-254Miss

Method of victory

Dricus Du PlessisSean Strickland

KO/TKO
+250Miss
+245Miss
Submission
+550Miss
+1500Miss
Decision
+750Hit
+390Miss

Dricus Du Plessis vs Sean Strickland — Middleweight title fight at UFC 297: Strickland vs. Du Plessis