UFC 297
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports entertainment |
| Founded | January 20, 2024 |
| Headquarters | Toronto , Canada |
Area served | Worldwide (via broadcast) |
Key people | Dana White (UFC president) |
| Products | Mixed martial arts fights |
| Website | www |
UFC 297: Strickland vs. du Plessis was a mixed martial arts spectacle organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on January 20, 2024, hosted at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Background
This event represented the UFC's seventh occasion in Toronto and its first appearance there since UFC 231 in December 2018.
The main event showcased a contest for the UFC Middleweight Championship featuring the current titleholder Sean Strickland against former KSW Welterweight Champion Dricus du Plessis.
Contesting for the vacant UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship, former challenger Raquel Pennington faced off with Mayra Bueno Silva. The championship became available after former titleholder Amanda Nunes retired following her successful defense at UFC 289.
A scheduled UFC Featherweight Championship matchup between reigning champion Alexander Volkanovski and challenger Ilia Topuria was postponed to headline UFC 298, as Volkanovski was reassigned to compete against Islam Makhachev for the UFC Lightweight Championship at UFC 294.
A rematch in the light heavyweight division between ex-champions Jan Błachowicz and Aleksandar Rakić was arranged but subsequently canceled due to Błachowicz sustaining a shoulder injury.
Additionally, a light heavyweight bout involving former title contender Dominick Reyes and Carlos Ulberg was planned but later withdrawn because of Ulberg's injury; this fight was rescheduled for UFC Fight Night: Brady vs. Luque.
At the official weigh-ins, both Ramon Taveras and Malcolm Gordon failed to make weight, resulting in catchweight contests and financial penalties awarded to their opponents Serhiy Sidey and Jimmy Flick, respectively.
Ahead of the event, UFC president Dana White revealed that UFC 297 established new records for the highest grossing gate revenue in UFC history as well as in Canada, drawing an attendance of 18,559 and generating $7.9 million.
During the broadcast, it was announced that former Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar would be inducted as the next "modern wing" member into the UFC Hall of Fame, with the ceremony planned for June’s International Fight Week in Las Vegas.
Bonus awards
Monetary bonuses of $50,000 were awarded to:
- Fight of the Night: Dricus du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland
- Performance of the Night: Gillian Robertson and Jasmine Jasudavicius