The UFC middleweight championship bout is set for January, as per an announcement made by UFC CEO Dana White. In this upcoming clash, Sean Strickland (with a record of 28-5) will defend his title against Dricus Du Plessis. Strickland, who secured the championship by defeating Israel Adesanya in September, will be aiming for his inaugural title defense. The 185-pound title match is scheduled to headline UFC 297, which is slated for January 20 in Toronto.
Ideally, the UFC would have pursued a rematch between Strickland and Adesanya (who boasts a record of 24-3). However, Adesanya has opted for an indefinite break from professional competition. Du Plessis, hailing from South Africa, was originally set to face Adesanya before Strickland but had to take a hiatus due to an injury.
At 32 years of age, Strickland is currently riding a three-fight winning streak. It's noteworthy that just last year, he seemed far from the title picture when he suffered back-to-back losses against Alex Pereira and Jared Cannonier. His remarkable ascent to the middleweight title within a nine-month span is undoubtedly one of the standout achievements of this year.
Du Plessis, with a record of 20-2, earned his title shot by delivering a knockout blow to former champion Robert Whittaker in July. He maintains an unblemished 5-0 record in the UFC, with notable finishes against fighters like Derek Brunson and Darren Till.