Controversy at UFC 297: Dana White Clashes with Judges’ Decision

Toronto, Canada – UFC 297’s main event was a thriller, with Sean Strickland facing off against Dricus Du Plessis in a nail-biting match at Scotiabank Arena. The fight concluded with a contentious split decision, leading to UFC President Dana White voicing a stark disagreement with the judges.

White, in a post-fight press conference, praised Strickland’s performance, particularly his “freaking beautiful” jab. Strickland, now with a record of 28-6 in MMA and 15-6 in UFC, was on the losing end of the decision to Du Plessis (21-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC).

“The jab was f*cking beautiful. You don’t see jabs like that in MMA,” White exclaimed.

White’s opinion reflects a common belief in MMA: a challenger must decisively defeat the champion to take the title. Nevertheless, Du Plessis emerged as the new middleweight champion.