Dricus du Plessis is the UFC
middleweight champion of the world after a split decision over Sean Strickland at UFC 297.
Du Plessis went five hard rounds – a first for him in his long MMA career – and captured two of three judges’ scorecards by scores of 48-47 to pick up his seventh UFC win and the middleweight title on Saturday night. One judge dissented 48-47 for Strickland, who was denied his first title defense after a massive upset win over Israel Adesanya this past year.