TORONTO – Emotions were calmer than expected when Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis got face-to-face for the first time during UFC 297 fight week.
After hurling insults at each other in prior exchanges, during Thursday’s pre-fight press conference, Strickland (28-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) and Du Plessis (20-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) had a more respectful faceoff than what was seen in their first staredown in December.
The days are now rapidly winding down to Saturday’s event, which takes place at Scotiabank Arena with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.
Strickland, No. 1 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie middleweight rankings, will attempt to make his first defense after upsetting Israel Adesanya to claim gold in September. No. 4-ranked Du Plessis, meanwhile, will attempt to extend his undefeated octagon tenure and add gold to his resume.
Sean Strickland wasn’t interested in eye contact with Dricus Du Plessis at their first #UFC297 fight week faceoff. pic.twitter.com/PQXodhxzQp
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) January 18, 2024
Watch the video above to see the Strickland vs. Du Plessis staredown from the UFC 297 pre-fight press conference.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 297.