The UFC kick-started what promises to be an action-packed year with its first PPV last weekend. Sean Strickland fell short in his first title defense against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297. Following the event, there was a huge outcry from fans on social media since they felt Strickland was robbed of a win. Interestingly, UFC President Dana White echoed that sentiment, saying he also felt ‘Tarzan’ won. Former champion Daniel Cormier, however, had an extremely different take on the matter.
In a recent interview posted on his YouTube channel, Daniel Cormier shared his thoughts on the fight. ‘DC’ went on to add why he felt Dana White was wrong in his assessment. He said,
“The fight between him and Dricus Du Plessis was extremely close. Dana said he thought Sean won, I disagree. I felt Dricus won. I thought Dricus won because he got those takedowns in the third period. And in those very close rounds, control becomes a part of the equation that factors into the decision. I believe that when he was getting those takedowns in those even rounds, that is what separated him. But for as hard as we are on the judges, we should credit the whenever they do the right thing, or at least they are consistent.”
Dricus Du Plessis ultimately won the fight via split-decision. Two of the three judges awarded rounds 2,3,4 to Du Plessis which ultimately helped him make UFC history. ‘StillKnocks’ became the first ever South African champion in the promotion’s history. Unfortunately, for Strickland fans, there were a few crucial moments in the fight that played a huge role in the outcome.
A closer look at the fight between Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis
The fight started off very well for the champion, who won the first round unanimously. Unfortunately for him, things didn’t go as planned after the first round. While both the second as well as the third rounds were competitive, they were ultimately awarded to Du Plessis, given that he had multiple takedowns in those rounds. According to Strickland, a defining moment in the fight came in the fourth round when a headbutt from ‘Stillknocks’ opened up a huge cut above Strickland’s eye.
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The former champion claimed that it severely impacted his ability to see, which did not allow him to perform at his best in the final rounds of the fight. Needless to say, both Strickland and Du Plessis will face each other again at some point in their careers. While it might not be right away, a rematch is guaranteed.
