*** HIGHLIGHTS! Watch Du Plessis Split Strickland In Toronto, Win Title ***
UFC 297 live stream results and play-by-play updates: Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis middleweight championship title fight tops the UFC 297 pay-per-view (PPV) main card on ESPN+ TONIGHT (Sat., Jan. 20, 2024) from inside Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a five-round showdown to kick off the promotion’s 2024 PPV fight campaign. UFC 297’s co-main event — also scheduled for five, five-minute rounds — features former women’s bantamweight title challenger, Raquel Pennington, taking on surging Brazilian bruiser, Mayra Bueno Silva, for the vacant 135-pound strap. Well-traveled UFC veterans Neil Magny, Chris Curtis and Arnold Allen will also see PPV action this weekend in “Hogtown.”
UFC 297’s five-fight PPV main card gets underway TONIGHT at 10 p.m. ET, starting with the featherweight mashup between Arnold Allen and Movsar Evloev. Get complete UFC 297 PPV main card LIVE results and real-time play-by-play updates below. In addition, we’re also covering the UFC 297 “Prelims” undercard bouts streaming on ESPN and ESPN+ in a separate thread RIGHT HERE, beginning promptly at 6:30 p.m. ET. Bet on all the UFC 297 action at DraftKings Sportsbook right here.
Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps, and post-fight analysis following “Strickland vs. Du Plessis.” Without further delay, see below for the latest UFC 297 main card PPV results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action.)
UFC 297 ESPN+ QUICK RESULTS:
185 lbs.: UFC Middleweight champion Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis — Du Plessis def. Strickland by split decision (47-48, 48-47 x2) — HIGHLIGHTS!
135 lbs.: Raquel Pennington vs. Mayra Bueno Silva for vacant Bantamweight belt — Pennington def. Silva by unanimous decision (49-46 x2, 49-45)
170 lbs.: Neil Magny vs. Mike Malott — Magny def. Malott by TKO (punches) at 4:45 of Round Three — HIGHLIGHTS!
185 lbs.: Chris Curtis vs. Marc-Andre Barriault — Curtis def. Barriault by split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)
145 lbs.: Arnold Allen vs. Movsar Evloev — Evloev def. Allen by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
135 lbs.: Brad Katona vs. Garrett Armfield — Armfield def. Katona by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
145 lbs.: Charles Jourdain vs. Sean Woodson — Woodson def. Jourdain by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28
135 lbs.: Serhiy Sidey vs. Ramon Taveras — Taveras def. Sidey by split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)
115 lbs.: Gillian Robertson vs. Polyana Viana — Robertson def. Viana by TKO (punches) at 3:12 of Round Two — HIGHLIGHTS!
170 lbs.: Yohan Lainesse vs. Sam Patterson — Patterson def. Lainesse by submission (rear naked choke) at 2:03 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS!
135 lbs.: Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Priscila Cachoeira — Jasudavicius def. Cachoeira by submission (d’arce choke) at 4:21 of Round Three
125 lbs.: Malcolm Gordon vs. Jimmy Flick — Flick def. Gordon by submission (arm-triangle choke) at 1:17 of Round Two — HIGHLIGHTS!
UFC 297 PPV MAIN CARD PLAY-BY-PLAY:
185 lbs.: UFC Middleweight champion Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis
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Round 1: Strickland looking to establish the jab. Du Plessis tries a head kick. Low kick from Strickland. One minute in. Low kick by Du Plessis, 2-3 falls short. Strickland staying busy with the jab. Du Plessis trying to throw his own. He threatens a spin two minutes in. Du Plessis having issues with the range. Strickland keeping the jab in his face. Du Plessis falling short with power shots with two minutes to go.
Low kick from Du Plessis. Looping overhand falls short, as does a right hook and head kick. Power double by Du Plessis puts him on top at the base of the fence. Back up, back down. Back up and they separate with a minute to go. Du Plessis tries a body kick, just misses with an overhand right. Low kick lands for him. Southpaw jab, head kick blocked. 1-1-2 from Strickland provokes a Du Plessis blitz. 10-9 Strickland.
Round 2: Du Plessis just misses with an overhand right, lands a leg kick behind it. Low kick, 2-3 falls short. More jabs from Strickland, who absorbs a left hook and blocks a spinning back fist. Du Plessis low kick a minute in. More jabs landing for Strickland as he avoids most of what Du Plessis sends his way. Overhand right and body kick from Du Plessis. Two-piece whiffs two minutes in. Low kick as he switches stance. 2-3. They exchange in the center, neither lands clean. Two minutes to go.
Hard body shots by Du Plessis. Overhand right finds the mark after a few whiffs. Strickland catches a body kick. 2-3 lands for Du Plessis. One minute to go. Another 3-2, then a single-leg with a minute to go. Strickland’s cut open. He hits the switch and stands. Low kick by Du Plessis, who tries to blitz and spin. 10-9 Du Plessis.
Round 3: Du Plessis pushing forward, finds the mark with a head kick as Strickland pumps the jab. Most of the overhands are still falling short. Teep and jabs from Strickland. Du Plessis low kick a minute in. Jab, low kick, body kick. Both whiff with combos. Du Plessis to the body. Low kick. Spinning back fist falls short, body kick lands two minutes in. Another body kick. Low kick exchange. Strickland lands a glancing left hook as he circles. Du Plessis whiffs on a spinning back fist and combo. Strickland keeping the jab in his face with two minutes to go.
Du Plessis falls short with a combo and spinning back kick. Nice exchange, right hook lands for Du Plessis. One minute to go. Head kick whiffs. Combo by Du Plessis, more jabs from Strickland. Du Pleassis tries a spinning back kick. Fake level change to overhand left. Low kick met by a right cross from Strickland. Strickland ends the round with a left hook. 10-9 Du Plessis.
Round 4: 1-2 from Strickland, overhand from Du Plessis. Du Plessis lands a body shot, eats a counter right. Du Plessis shoots, can’t tie him up. Strickland’s cut around his left eye. Two right hands from Strickland a minute in. Body kick from Du Plessis. Du Plessis left hook, Strickland overhand right. Trading in the center. Low kick from Du Plessis. 1-2s from Strickland, blitz from Du Plessis two minutes in. Strickland ties up but it’s Du Plessis who hits a trip. Strickland scoots to the fence and works his way to his feet, Du Plessis still attached. They separate. Straight right by Du Plessis. Again, 1-2 behind it. Two minutes to go.
Hard combo by Du Plessis and a body shot behind it. Strickland right hand, Du Plessis low kick. Du Plessis pursues, then hits a blast double at the base of the fence. Again Strickland works his way to his feet as Du Plessis holds onto the body lock. Suplex attempt. One minute to go. Strickland scrambles free, eats a 1-2. Uppercut from Du Plessis met by a chopping right. Low kick lands for him. Du Plessis whiffs on some overhands, lands a low kick, tries to spin. 1-2 from Strickland. 10-9 Du Plessis.
Round 5: Strickland catches a body kick and avoids a spin. Stiff jabs. Du Plessis falls short with some big swings. Fake level change draws a reaction, jabs behind it. One minute in. 1-2 from Strickland. Trading jabs. Right cross from Strickland. Trading in the center, neither landing clean. Low kick by Du Plessis, head kick blocked. Both swing, neither connects. Two minutes in. 1-2 from Du Plessis. He shoots, denied. Jab exchange. Right cross from Strickland. Two minutes to go.
Du Plessis swings big, can’t land clean. Jab exchange. Du Plessis shoots, denied. They trade right hands. 1-3 from Du Plessis. Jab exchange, body kick from Du Plessis. One minute to go. 1-2 from Strickland answered in kind. Trading in the center, right hands from Strickland. Trading heat, Strickland getting the better of it. The brawl continues until the bell. 10-9 Strickland.
Final result: Du Plessis def. Strickland by split decision — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
135 lbs.: Raquel Pennington vs. Mayra Bueno Silva for vacant bantamweight title
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Round 1: Pennington answers a low kick with a blitz. Solid body kick. She catches a knee and takes Silva to the fence. Silva gets over-unders and reverses. One minute in. They separate soon after. Low kick from Silva. Pennington tries to answer with a 1-2. Silva pressuring. Pennington looks for another single-leg and has to avoid a ninja choke. Silva follows with good elbows, then gets the Thai clinch and tries to follow up two minutes in. Now Silva changes levels and dumps Pennington to the mat, nearly landing in mount. She quickly moves to Pennington’s back and slips in both hooks. Pennington gets to her feet, Silva playing backpack. Two minutes to go.
Silva loses the hooks but remains attached. One minute to go. Now Silva pulls her down and retakes the back. Solid punches from under the armpit. Pennington fights the hands until the bell. 10-9 Silva.
Round 2: Solid left hands from Pennington as Silva tries and fails to tie up early. Silva continuing to push forward and manages to put her on the fence. One minute in. Knees from Silva. Pennington reverses position. Solid combo on the exit. Hard elbow from Silva in return and they trade at close range until Silva gets the Thai clinch two minutes in. Back to the standard clinch, pressing Pennington against the fence. Body shots from Silva before they separate. Pennington pops her with some stiff combos, chasing Silva across the cage with two minutes to go.
Pennington opens up at close range, then falls into the clinch. Nice knee and uppercut from Silva when they separate, Pennington immediately ties back up. Silva reverses and jumps on her back with a minute to go. She soon wraps up the RNC, but can’t get it under Pennington’s chin and elects to let go. They fall to the mat and Pennington turns into top position. 10-9 Pennington.
Round 3: Low kicks from Silva, combinations from Pennington. Silva goes from the Thai clinch to over-unders but gets reversed as she takes Pennington to the fence. Jockeying for position, trading knees. One minute in. Silva pressing her against the fence, eating knees. Silva goes for a throw, then tries a ninja choke when Pennington scrambles to her feet. Pennington pops her head out two minutes in and throws knees in the clinch. Silva reverses, throwing knees. Elbow on the exit. Two minutes to go.
Another good elbow from Silva, who changes levels and drags Pennington to the mat. Pennington counters with a 10-finger guillotine and forces Silva to her back. Silva looks for a half guard sweep, prompting Pennington to stand over her and let her up with a minute to go. Punches from Pennington, knee and elbow from Silva. Silva changes levels again and again Pennington forces her down with the front headlock before settling on top in guard. She chips away until the bell. 10-9 Pennington.
Round 4: Heavy elbow from Pennington to start the round, followed by combination punching. Body kicks from Silva, who ties up and gets reversed. Knees to the body from Pennington. One minute in. Silva tries a couple elbows and a knee as she reverses position. Looking for the back. Can’t find the trip, but manages to pull her down at the base of the fence two minutes in. She immediately wraps up the RNC but only has one hook, allowing Pennington to sweep into top position. Silva looking for a kimura, Pennington elbowing the body as she defends. Two minutes to go.
Pennington snuffs out an armbar and goes to work with ground-and-pound. Silva trying to set up a triangle, nothing there. More hammerfists from Pennington, who tries a diving punch with a minute to go and postures out of another potential triangle. She continues to land solid ground-and-pound until the bell. 10-9 Pennington.
Round 5: Pennington working Silva over with punches, avoiding a spinning back fist before putting her on the fence. Nice elbow, more punches on the break. Silva falls for a kneebar, nothing there a minute in. Full mount for Pennington, trying to set up an arm triangle. It’s in but Pennington doesn’t quite have the squeeze. Two minutes in. Silva waiting it out as Pennington maintains her grip. Pennington tries some body shots, then doubles down on the choke, only to lose the angle. Two minutes to go.
Pennington still looking to finish the arm triangle, preventing Silva from turning to give up her back. Silva regains guard and Pennington goes to work with ground-and-pound. One minute to go. Pennington stands over her and dives in with a right hand before disengaging again. Kicking Silva’s legs without resistance. Silva chilling on her back, showing no urgency to try any last-second heroics. 10-9 Pennington.
Final result: Pennington def. Silva by unanimous decision
170 lbs.: Neil Magny vs. Mike Malott
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Round 1: Malott, having done his homework, goes right to the leg kicks. Magny still hasn’t learned how to check them. One minute in. Superman punch and head kick fall short for Malott, who avoids a blitz. Magny ties up after eating an overhand right, Malott reverses and separates. Both whiff with punches two minutes in. Another low kick lands for Malott. Magny just avoids a head kick and ties up. Jockeying for position against the fence. Two minutes to go.
Malott pressing Magny against the fence. Magny peels him off with an underhook and they return to range. Magny blitzes, lands a 2-3 on the exit. Calf kick visibly damages Magny’s left leg. Another low kick from Malott. One minute to go. Left hook by Malott behind an overhand right. More low kicks. Magny keeping his distance and not throwing much. One more low kick before the bell. 10-9 Malott.
Round 2: Magny tries his own low kick, which Malott checks. Hard right cross from Malott soon after. Magny rushes, hits air. Malott 2-3 just misses. One minute in. Inside low kick. Body kick soon after. Magny rushes again and Malott times a level change to take him down into half guard. Malott stands over him and kicks his legs before letting him up. Two minutes in. Magny gets double unders, but Malott slips in an underhook and muscles him down into half guard again. Malott trying to posture. Two minutes to go.
Decent elbow by Malott. Magny avoids a kimura and Malott stands over him, diving into side control with a right hand before moving right to mount.Malott postured up, trying to drop punches. One minute to go. Magny trying to turn into him. He latches onto Malott’s midsection and eats elbows to the top of the head. More ground-and-pound from Malott. 10-9 Malott.
Round 3: Malott hits another takedown in the opening seconds and tries to secure mount. Solid scrambling by Magny to get back to his feet. Malott looks for a single-leg, tree-tops him down a minute in. Full guard for Malott. Not a lot of action as the second minute ticks by. Some short punches from Malott, not much else. Magny scrambles to his feet with two minutes to go.
Magny changes levels and avoids a guillotine to dump Malott to the mat. Magny immediately starts bombing away with solid punches as Malott tries to attack a leg. Malott hunting the kneebar, can’t find it. One minute to go. Magny moves to mount and postures up to bomb away. Full back mount and Magny’s teeing off. 30 seconds to finish. Malott covering up and Magny has secured an absolutely wild comeback finish.;
Final result: Magny def. Malott by TKO (punches) — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!
185 lbs.: Chris Curtis vs. Marc-Andre Barriault
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Round 1: Curtis on the front foot as both men hop in and out of range without throwing. One minute in. Low kick from Curtis. Blocked head kick to right cross by Barriault. Another right cross lands clean for him. Two minutes in. Barriault circling, pops him with a couple more straight rights. Body kick to straight right. Two minutes to go.
Body kick from Barriault met by a left hand downstairs. Front kick just misses. Low kick from Barriault, blocked head kick to straight right. Curtis trying to taunt. Body shot lands for him with a minute to go. Straight left from Curtis, who tries a flurry. Low kick to right hand by Barriault, who eats some short hooks and comes back with an uppercut. Curtis lands another body shot and they trade jabs. 10-9 Barriault.
Round 2: 1-1-2 from Curtis to start. Low kick lands for him. Barriault looks for right hands inside. Right cross connects, jab behind it. One minute in. Short left by Barriault. Low kicks behind it. Body kick, 1-2 falls short. Right hand to the body. Barriault outworking him at the moment, though not by much. Two minutes in. They trade right hands in the center. Tight combination by Curtis, Barriault fires right hands in return. Barriault’s cut on the bridge of his nose. Curtis body kick, Barriault body knee. Good body shots by Curtis, who complains of a headbutt. Nice straight left with two minutes to go.
Curtis 1-2, Barriault body kick. Curtis sneaks in an uppercut. Snap kick by Barriault and they trade inside. One minute to go. Back-and-forth exchanges in center cage. Lead rights from Barriault, straight lefts by Curtis. Low kick to straight right lands for Barriault, who eats a body shot and steps in with an elbow. 10-9 Curtis.
Round 3: Back to the tit-for-tat exchanges. Curtis getting the better of it at the moment. Both landing well to the body. One minute in. Body kick from Barriault. Curtis doing better on the inside, Barriault at range. Barriault low kicks, Curtis angling off with hooks. Two minutes in. Knee exchange, solid punches from Barriault on the exit. He tries a lead elbow after absorbing a combo. Elbow exchange, then some clubbing rights by Barriault. Nice elbow that Curtis answers with uppercuts. Big Barriault uppercut, Curtis body shots in return. Bludgeoning each other inside with two minutes to go.
Barriault trying to maul inside, gets backed off by an uppercut. Curtis overpowering him in the phone booth. One minute to go. Barriault still trying to wade after him. They grab single collar ties and club each other for a bit. Point-blank violence. They continue to blast each other with punches and elbows until the bell. 10-9 Curtis.
Final result: Curtis def. Barriault by split decision
145 lbs.: Arnold Allen vs. Movsar Evloev
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Round 1: Solid body kick from Evloev. Counter left by Allen when he tries it again. Allen looking for straight shots. Body jab a minute in. Hard left downstairs. Again. Evloev changes levels, can’t find the single-leg, puts him on the fence two minutes in. Allen breaks his grip and separates 30 seconds later. Stiff jab from Evloev. Neither landing clean with two minutes to go.
Evloev tries a head kick. Lead right into a combination. He shoots, Allen angles away. The next shot is better and he looks for Allen’s back. Nice granby roll by Allen, who looks for a guillotine when Evloev shoots back in. The scramble continues for some time, Evloev refusing to let go of the body lock. He hits a series of mat returns in the final seconds. 10-9 Allen.
Round 2: Low kick lands for Evloev. Body kick soon after. Allen keeping his lead hand low to dissuade the takedown as he flicks out jabs. One minute in. Evloev tries a head kick and Allen tries his own, falling short with follow-up punches. Quick lead right by Evloev. Allen catches a head kick, doesn’t jump on him. Two minutes in and no real action so far. Lead right into a level change by Evloev, who avoids a guillotine to land on top in half guard. Allen immediately gets to his feet, throwing elbows behind his back. Evloev dumps him down a second time and takes him to the fence. Allen looking to set up the ninja choke, Evloev aware of it. Two minutes to go.
Allen turns and separates. Evloev tries a body kick. Nice jump knee by Evloev appears to land clean. Allen answers with a body shot. One minute to go. Straight left from Allen, double right by Evloev, Allen body shot. Stiff jab catches Allen coming in and he’s hurt. Evloev stays patient, lands a jump knee to the body. Overhand right and head kick glance off. Stiff jab. Allen catches a kick before the bell. 10-9 Evloev.
Round 3: Overhand left and counter uppercut from Allen to start things off. Evloev tries a front kick, avoids a 1-2. Big combination from Allen and a 1-2 behind it. Trading punches. One minute in. Brief slip from Evloev, low kick behind it. Body shot lands for Allen, who eats a lead right. 1-2 from Allen. Evloev shoots behind a straight right and Allen sprawls on it. Allen keeps the front headlock as they rise and starts firing knees, even as Evloev drags his hand along on the mat. The hand was never weight-bearing, but the ref still pauses the action. Evloev has a big cut on the temple and they pause to examine it, then the ref elects not to take a point from Allen. Allen comes back from the break firing. Two minutes in. Nice body shot from Allen, who eats a body kick. Evloev fakes a jab, shoots, denied, lands a right on the exit. Another quick sprawl by Allen. Evloev keeps trying the lead right to level change and Allen’s wise to it. Counter knee lands for Evloev. Two minutes to go.
Body kick by Evloev, body punch by Allen. Allen slips in pursuit, pops back up. More body work from Allen, who snatches the ninja choke when Evloev next shoots. Evloev rolls for his lufe and manages to pop his head free as the scramble continues. Allen stands, Evloev still attached with a minute to go. Evloev can’t get the drag-down back take, stays attached. Nice behind-the-back elbows by Allen. He separates with 10 seconds to go and chases Evloev until the bell. 10-9 Allen; comes down to how they scored the first.
Final result: Evloev def. Allen by unanimous decision
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