Canada hosted UFC 297, the first pay-per-view of the year. Toronto hosted the event which featured Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis in the main fight
Canada hosted UFC 297, the first pay-per-view of the year. Toronto hosted the event which featured Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis in the main fight for the middleweight belt and Mayra Sheetara chasing the bantamweight title.
In the end Du Plessis and Pennington got the better of their rivals and won the belts in their respective categories. And you can find all the details of the event and the Brazilian participation in Toronto now.
Fight
The main event of UFC 297 began with both fighters going for leg kicks, but not diving further into the attack. Using the jab to maintain distance, Strickland saw the South African opt for dangerous but unsuccessful high kicks. However, at the moment of the takedown, he managed to take down the American, but was unable to take advantage of it and the fight became more strategic again at the end of the first round.
This position continued into the second round, with both fighters wasting no opportunity to try and get something into the exchange. The balance was strong and not even a stumble from Du Plessis meant that the champion took advantage of the opportunity, still preferring to keep his distance with the jab while the challenger tried to be more active with his punches.
In the third round, a high kick from Du Plessis scares Strickland, who continues to aim with strikes to annoy his rival. The duel continued to inspire a strong balance between the two, without one fighter dominating the other in the octagon, despite the South African starting to show more energy than the American.
And the jab strategy continued forcefully on the champion’s side also in the fourth round, seeing Du Plessis press again and show more and more full strength and also managing to take advantage of a ‘Tarzan’ takedown attempt to knock him to the ground for a moment. Already with a cut on his face and sensing a rival growing in the fight, Strickland stuck to his strategy but saw the South African grow stronger and stronger, landing a flexible high kick and uppercut that really bothered the American.
Everything was decided in the fifth and decisive round. His start was not very eventful and Strickland began to try to put pressure on his rival, having the obligation of the knockout. The South African stood his ground and tried to focus more on takedowns, without much success. ‘Tarzan’ was able to press more, but he didn’t have enough strength. Only in the last seconds both got up, but the fight ended with Dricus du Plessis who, according to the judges, won and became the new middleweight champion.
Mayra Sheetara shows strength, but loses the belt to Pennington
The fight for the vacant belt in the women’s bantamweight division was first at UFC 297, between Mayra Sheetara and Raquel Pennington. The fight started lively, with both fighters watching and the Brazilian betting on kicks to weaken the American, who was trying to grab Sheetara’s leg and attempt a takedown and clinch. Sheetara caught well with kicks and a good knee and landed a double leg, taking “Rocky” to the floor. Despite positioning herself behind her rival, the Brazilian did not find the space to attack Pennington;
Pennington tried to strike in the second round and ‘Rocky’ tried to complicate the Brazilian, who responded by taking the clinch well and applying knees, to which the American took a while to respond, who started to get up and take it with good punches, balancing the fight. Pennington would take control of the fight and hit Mayra hard with her punches, with both still fighting. A strangulation attempt by the Brazilian at the end of the round proved unsuccessful.
In the third round, the American began to bet on combinations, and the Brazilian tried to defend herself and go to the clinch, where the two contenders for the belt distributed their knees. Sheetara went for a takedown, but “Rocky” got back up and the two went back to the clinch. Despite the fierce duel and numerous knees and even elbows, the audience at Scotiabank Arena booed the duel, based on such a strategy.
Pennington was able to land a good Superman punch early in the fourth round and took advantage of a clinch attempt to catch the Brazilian and start landing good punches. The battle for position was strong, but as soon as the fight went to the ground, Sheetara had the rear naked choke in place, but “Rocky” escaped the position. Shortly afterwards the Brazilian also had to set up an armbar and a triangle, both of which failed.
Taking advantage of the Brazilian’s apparent tiredness, Pennington defeated her in the fifth round and attempted submission, but Mayra managed to resist “Rocky’s” initiative as long as possible, making it difficult for the American to land the blow. Sheetara escaped the submission and the fight got a little lively towards the end, more from the American, who was more offensive while the Brazilian remained on the ground. With such a performance, the judges considered the American better and she won the fight and the bantamweight belt.
The Brazilians lose in the preliminary card
Two more representatives of Brazil were on the preliminary card of UFC 297. Polyana Viana clashed with Gillian Robertson and started the fight well by showing off her striking, but as soon as the Canadian took the fight to the ground, she found herself almost ended in a few moments from the initial part of the duel.
And while Polyana was in better shape, Robertson didn’t waste the opportunity to take down her rival and make the Brazilian suffer on the ground. At one point in the second round, already mounted, Gillian Robertson preferred to brutally apply ground and pound to win the fight for herself and win again in Ultimate.
Priscila Cachoeira was the first Brazilian to be in the octagon in Saturday’s event and faced fellow Canadian Jasmine Jasudavicius. The “former Pedrita” and now “Zombie Girl” found herself dominated by the home fighter early in the fight, with Jasudavicius fighting on the ground and using her mount to establish herself via ground and strikes.
In the second round, the Brazilian received a knockdown and found herself pressed to the ground again, facing the Canadian’s strong control and strikes. Things improved a little for the Brazilian in the third round, when she managed to keep the fight going a little and land blows against her rival. But, as soon as Jasudavicius sent the fight back to the ground, she once again found herself dominated by ground and jab until a hand triangle landed and gave the home fighter the victory.
UFC 297 Results: Strickland x Du Plessis
Main card
Dricus du Plessis beats Sean Strickland by split decision – Du Plessis is the new middleweight champion
Raquel Pennington defeated Mayra Sheetara by unanimous decision of the judges – Pennington is the new bantamweight champion
Neil Magny defeats Mike Mallott by TKO (4:45 of R3)
Chris Curtis beat Marc-André Barriault by split decision
Movsar Evloev defeated Arnold Allen by unanimous decision
Preliminary paper
Garrett Armfield defeated Brad Katona by unanimous decision
Sean Woodson beat Charles Jourdain by split decision
Ramon Tavares beat Serhiy Sidey by split decision
Gillian Robertson defeats Polyana Viana by TKO (3:12 by R2)
Sam Patterson defeated Yohan Lainesse via submission (2:03 of R1)
Jasmine Jasudavicius defeats Priscila Cachoeira via submission (4:21 of R3)
Jimmy Flick defeated Malcolm Gordon via submission (1:17 of R2)
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
