Sean Strickland definitely didn’t like the announcement of his fight against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297 in Canada in January.
Thunderclap last night in the world of MMA: the big boss of the UFC, Dana White, spoke and announced three huge fights with belts at stake for 2024. Among these fights, we learned that Sean Strickland would defend his middleweight title at UFC 297 against Dricus Du Plessis in Toronto, Canada in January.
who wins and how? pic.twitter.com/N83pbH4qmS
— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) November 6, 2023
This will be Strickland’s first title defense since he brilliantly won the belt against Israel Adesanya at UFC 293. But what could have been good news for the champion ultimately isn’t, in fact, here is what that he declared on X:
“Well, it’s time for Canada to bring you all some freedom. “I didn’t want to fight in January or in Canada, but I was asked to help a few women do their job…and they called me a sexist.”
“Why Canada?!?!” No guns, no freedom of speech… UFC, are you kidding me?!?! “
🚨THE CRAZY DANA WHITE JUST ANNOUNCED: Sean Strickland vs. – Dricus Du Plessis #UFC297 January 20 📍 -Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria #UFC298 February 📍 -Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera #UFC299 March 📍 pic.twitter.com/SGquMU22N2
— mmamag.ma (@jamalsoussi10) November 7, 2023
That says a lot about Strickland’s state of mind for this fight… On this same card, there will also be the clash between Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno Silva for the vacant women’s bantamweight title. We now understand better why the UFC had not yet put it in the main event.
In any case, even if Strickland says he doesn’t want to fight in Canada, it will be a great opportunity for Dricus Du Plessis who beat Robert Whittaker by TKO last July at UFC 290 and is 6-0 at UFC.
