Tag: UFC 297

Gillian Robertson Pummels Polyana Viana En Route to Second-Round TKO – UFC 297 Highlights

Gillian RobertsonGillian Robertson got back into the win column with an impressive performance against Polyana Viana at UFC 297 on…

Gillian Robertson

Gillian Robertson got back into the win column with an impressive performance against Polyana Viana at UFC 297 on Saturday night.

Stepping inside the Octagon in her home country of Canada, ‘The Savage’ scored a highlight-reel-worthy finish after coming up short against Tabatha Ricci in June. Robertson entered the bout determined to get back into the win column in emphatic fashion. She did exactly that with a pummeling of Viana.

Working her opponent down to the canvas, Robertson easily moved into mount and began blasting ‘Dama de Ferro’ with a series of strikes and elbows that left Viana with no other option, but to cover up and wait for the referee to step in and save her from the onslaught.

Official Result: Gillian Robertson def. Polyana Viana via TKO (ground and pound) at 3:12 of Round 2.

Robertson has now won three of her last four bouts while Viana is staring down the barrel of back-to-back losses inside the Octagon.

Check out Highlights From Gillian Robertson vs. Polyana Viana at uFC 297:

Alex Pereira Responds to Dricus Du Plessis’ Call-Out Ahead of UFC 297: ‘You Have to Listen’

Alex Pereira and Dricus Du PlessisDricus Du Plessis’ interest in fighting Alex Pereira has unsurprisingly prompted a response from the reigning light heavyweight champion….

Alex Pereira and Dricus Du Plessis

Dricus Du Plessis’ interest in fighting Alex Pereira has unsurprisingly prompted a response from the reigning light heavyweight champion.

Hours ahead of his highly anticipated title tilt with middleweight king Sean Strickland at UFC 297, Du Plessis opened the door for a potential move to 205 should he leave Toronto with gold wrapped around his waist on Saturday night.

“One hundred percent,” Du Plessis replied when asked about moving up to challenge Pereira at the UFC 297 pre-fight press conference. “After this, I have a whole division to take care of before I start thinking about him. But I’m taking care of that division and whether it’s him or someone else, after this division, that’s the one I’m after” (h/t Yahoo! Sports).

Pereira, who was front and center during Friday’s press event, offered up his response to Du Plessis’ comments during an interview with Full Send MMA.

“He spoke, so you have to listen,” Pereira said. “But I think that’s far from happening, so it’s just talk for now.”

Alex Pereira Will Be Rooting for Sean Strickland in The Great White North

Two months removed from his highlight-reel-worthy knockout of Jiri Prochazka to claim the light heavyweight title, Alex Pereira will be in attendance at UFC 297 to cheer on his friend and former opponent, Sean Strickland.

“The relationship I have with him, it’s good,” Pereira said of Strickland. “He’s not a great friend because I don’t speak English. If I spoke English, maybe we’d speak more. We trained together after our fight. He’s a fun, cool guy, and I’m here supporting him for this fight.”

In July 2022, Strickland stepped inside the Octagon with Pereira determined to stop the Brazilian’s hype in its tracks. Instead, ‘Poatan’ uncorked a vicious left hook nearly the halfway point of the opening round that put Strickland down for the count. Pereira claimed the middleweight crown in his next fight.

Drake slaps eye-Watering $700,000 bet on Sean Strickland to beat Dricus du Plessis in UFC 297 title grudge fight

Drake places $700,000 bet on Sean Strickland to beat Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297Canadian rapper and songwriter, Drake has once more continued in his recent vein of high-profile betting ahead of a…

Drake places $700,000 bet on Sean Strickland to beat Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297

Canadian rapper and songwriter, Drake has once more continued in his recent vein of high-profile betting ahead of a massive Octagon landing – this time placing a staggering $700,000 wager on Sean Strickland to beat Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297 tonight – having previously betted against the newly-crowned champion last September. 

Drake, who landed a reported payout in excess of $1,000,000 back in December after betting on welterweight champion, Leon Edwards to defeat former interim titleholder, Colby Covington at UFC 296, has turned those winnings into another high-profile wager.

Losing half a million back in September whilst betting on UFC 293, Drake incorrectly predicted a victory for former two-time middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya in Australia, with the above-mentioned, Strickland upsetting the apple cart and the bookmakers with his stunning unanimous decision upset victory.

Drake places $700,000 bet on Sean Strickland to win at UFC 297

However, tonight, in his home town, Drake has bet a staggering $700,000 bet on Sean Strickland to beat incoming title challenger, promotional-perfect contender, du Plessis – with a successful flutter set to net the Canadian just shy of $1,400,000 in returns. 

Attempting to lodge his first successful defense of the middleweight title tonight in Toronto, Strickland meets Pretoria native, du Plessis – who is riding what many have described as a surprising underdog line ahead of UFC 297.

In the midst of perfect run since his UFC landing back in 2020, last July during International Fight Week, du Plessis turned in a stunning second round TKO win over former undisputed middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker in the pair’s officially billed title-eliminator in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

And in a chilling warning at last night’s ceremonial weigh-ins, former EFC and KSW championship winner, du Plessi claimed that Strickland – who called for a death fight with himself at UFC 297, will see his wish granted in ‘The Great White North’. 

Who wins at UFC 297 tonight: Sean Strickland or Dricus du Plessis?

Dana White urges UFC 297 co-Main event to ‘Step-Up’ amid criticizm: ‘Think about how Ronda Rousey built that division’

Dana White urges Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno Silva to step up at UFC 297 think about Ronda RouseyPromotional CEO, Dana White has urged tonight’s co-main event clash at UFC 297 between Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno…

Dana White urges Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno Silva to step up at UFC 297 think about Ronda Rousey

Promotional CEO, Dana White has urged tonight’s co-main event clash at UFC 297 between Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno Silva to stand up and deliver amid claims of a lacklustre bout – urging the duo to take inspiration from inaugural bantamweight gold holder, Ronda Rousey.

Taking co-headlining status in the promotion’s first outing in a pay-per-view setting this year, one-time bantamweight title challenger, Pennington makes her return to the Octagon in the midst of a stunning winning run, attempting to land her first promotional belt.

And taking on fierce Brazilian foe, the surging submission ace, Bueno Silva, Pennington and the grappling ace have been under the microscope across fight week ahead of UFC 297 – in particularly receiving criticizm from event headliner, Sean Strickland.

Taking main event honors in his first attempted defense of the middleweight crown, Strickland takes on surging South African contender, Dricus du Plessis, and made the bold claim his bout was finalized in order to save the card from a vacant bantamweight title headliner.

Sharing his thoughts on the pairing of the surging Pennington and Bueno Silva, UFC boss, White urged the bantamweight contenders to take inspiration from former titleholder, Rousey, whom he credited with “building” the 135 pound weight class.

Dana White looks to inspire UFC 297 co-headliner

“Those two [Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno Silva], you have to look at that division and think Ronda Rousey built that division,” Dana White told Sportsnet. “These girls have to step up and deliver Saturday night, you know.”

“Listen, a lot of fights get overlooked, so make them pay for it Saturday night,” Dana White explained. “Stand out, make the place go crazy and deliver. And that’s what they need to do. Listen, we do the bells and whistles, we do all these other stuff. Saturday night, you have to go in there and show the world who you are and make the world talk about you on Sunday.” 

UFC 297 Title Challenger Dricus Du Plessis Lunges at Sean Strickland During Final Face-Off

Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis weigh-inDricus Du Plessis couldn’t wait to get up close and personal with Sean Strickland during their final face-off. On…

Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis weigh-in

Dricus Du Plessis couldn’t wait to get up close and personal with Sean Strickland during their final face-off.

On Saturday night, January 20, ‘Stillknocks’ will look to end Strickland’s reign at the top of the middleweight division early as the two sensational strikers square off in the highly anticipated UFC 297 headliner. Last month, things reached a boiling point between the fighters when ‘DDP’ made some disparaging remarks about Strickland’s traumatic upbringing. 24 hours later, ‘Tarzan’ lept over a row of seats and attacked Du Plessis inside T-Mobile Arena as UFC 296 unfolded in front of them.

Since then, Strickland and Du Plessis have seemingly buried the hatchet with the 185-pound king suggesting that he has nothing, but respect for his opponent despite threatening to stab him at one point.

During their final face-to-face encounter ahead of fight night, Du Plessis could barely contain himself and practically lunged at Strickland, forcing security to briefly step in and ensure there was no repeat of last month’s insanity.

“I ain’t got no predictions, but like they say, be careful what you wish for,” Du Plessis told Jon Anik at the ceremonial weigh-ins. “He asked for it. Your wish has been granted, my friend.

DDP’ goes into his first UFC title opportunity riding an eight-streak with six of those wins coming inside the Octagon. Du Plessis earned his shot with a brutal second-round knockout of former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 in July.

As for Sean Strickland, the unlikely middleweight king will defend his title for the first time since stunning fans around the world with a dominant five-round performance against two-time titleholder Israel Adesanya last year. Strickland has already made a name for himself thanks to his outspoken nature and sometimes vile commentaries that have redefined love-hate relationships for fight fans.

Next, he’ll look to build his legacy as one of the promotion’s all-time great 185-pounders and it all starts in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Watch the full UFC 297 ceremonial weigh-ins below:

Julianna Peña betting favorite to end year as bantamweight champion ahead of vacant title fight at UFC 297

Julianna Peña confirms she will fight for UFC bantamweight title in return from injuryNot actually featuring in this weekend’s vacant bantamweight champion at UFC 297, former divisional queen, Julianna Peña is emerging…

Julianna Peña confirms she will fight for UFC bantamweight title in return from injury

Not actually featuring in this weekend’s vacant bantamweight champion at UFC 297, former divisional queen, Julianna Peña is emerging as betting favorite to lay claim to the 135 pound come the end of the year – ahead of incoming competitors, Raquel Pennington, and Mayra Bueno Silva.

Peña, a former undisputed bantamweight champion and the current number one ranked divisional contender, has been sidelined through the last year amid an injury suffered ahead of a scheduled June title trilogy fight rubber match with the retired, Amanda Nunes.

And yet to be booked to make her return to the Octagon, Washington native, Peña, has been steadfast in her claim that while Pennington and Bueno Silva meet in a vacant title fight at UFC 297 this weekend in Toronto, the two are just fighting for the right to fight her next.

And according to betting odds available, The Ultimate Fighter victor, Julianna Peña is the current betting favorite at odds of +250 to hold the bantamweight crown at the end of December of this year, above next closest foe, Mayra Bueno Silva. 

Julianna Peña favorite to end 2024 as champion

Odds on Julianna Peña’s chances of striking and holding gold in the future ahead of UFC 297 are available web-wide – and while punters are sure to splash their cash on the interesting prop bet of the future champion come the end of 2024, they can also take a punt on the best bitcoin casinos at the link provided. 

Sidelined since dropping her title to Nunes back in 2022, the year prior, Peña turned in one of the most surprising and shocking upset victories for the bookmakers – submitting the dominant former two-weight champion with a stunning second round rear-naked choke in their grudge fight. 

Peña’s win saw the outspoken Washington star become just the fifth bantamweight champion in the history of the UFC, following in the footsteps of Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, and Holly Holm, as well as the previously mentioned, Nunes.

And with odds of +1,800 available on a stunning comeback title reign for the retired Nunes by the end of 2024, the Bahia native is more likely to hold the championship at the end of the year than the above-mentioned, Holm at +3,500 – and Tacoma native, Tate, who is even drifting out futher at +5,000. 

Holding a prior armbar submission win over Peña, former undisputed flyweight queen, Valentina Shevchenko – who has long-been linked with a bantamweight return following a failed title pursuit against Nunes in the pair’s rematch, is available as short as a +750 betting underdog to hold the title at the end of 2024. 

Set to make her first outing amid pregnancy in an April return to the Octagon, inaugural featherweight champion, Germaine de Randamie, who is the last fighter to beat Julianna Peña other than two-time foe, Nunes – is drawing odds currently of +2,500 to hold gold at the bantamweight limit at the end of the year, ahead of her fight with Brazilian contender, Norma Dumont.