UFC 297: Strickland vs. Du Plessis

The official Tapology discussion thread for the event!

Strickland vs. Du Plessis
Sean Strickland, TKO, R4
Tarzan gon go gorilla :))))))))))))))))

Pennington vs. Bueno Silva
Raquel Pennington, DEC
Rocky gon rock her :))))))))))))))))))))))))

Magny vs. Malott
Mike Malott, TKO, R3
Time to shine :)))))))))))))))))))))))

Curtis vs. Barriault
Chris Curtis, TKO, R3
Action packed punching :)))))))))))))))))))))))

Allen vs. Evloev
Arnold Allen, TKO, R3
Almightys alright G :))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Katona vs. Armfield
Brad Katona, DEC
SuperBrad :)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Jourdain vs. Woodson
Charles Jourdain, DEC
He gonna fly :)))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Sidey vs. Taveras II
Ramon Taveras, TKO, R1
Savage beating incoming :)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Robertson vs. Viana
Polyana Viana, TKO, R1
Too many savages :(

Lainesse vs. Patterson
Sam Patterson, SUB, R2
Big win for the future :))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Jasudavicius vs. Cachoeira
Priscila Cachoeira, TKO, R2
Zombies are cool :)))))))))))))))))))))))

Gordon vs. Flick
Malcolm Gordon, SUB, R2
Gonna X him out :))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

DDP is such an enigma because his style exists at the perfect intersection of technicality, physicality, and unorthodoxy. This is one of the few fights where I have pretty much no idea how the fight will go, but maybe DDP gets the slight edgefor the finishing threat he brings. We rarely see either fighter on the backfoot so this should be a banger for however long it lasts

Strickland vs. Du Plessis
Sean Strickland, DEC
SOURCE A

Pennington vs. Bueno Silva
Mayra Bueno Silva, SUB, R1
SOURCE D

Magny vs. Malott
Neil Magny, DEC
SOURCE D

Curtis vs. Barriault
Chris Curtis, TKO, R1
SOURCE A

Allen vs. Evloev
Movsar Evloev, DEC
SOURCE A

Katona vs. Armfield
Brad Katona, DEC
SOURCE A

Jourdain vs. Woodson
Sean Woodson, TKO, R3
SOURCE d

Made one change to my initial picks - I am now picking Allen over Mosvar.

Could go either way. Mosvar is going to get takedowns, probably multiple times. But he is not that good at holding people down and he is not submitting Allen. I expect Allen to scramble and get up. If this had been 5 rounds I would worry about his cardio but this is 3. So I do expect a fair amount of this to be in the striking range and Allan is the better striker, despite having lower volume than Mosvar. I also expect the power difference to show here with Allan landing with more power and causing more damange. Overall I think Allan defends takedowns, gets up when he gets taken down and causes more damage on the feet. Allen by decision

Curtis vs. Barriault
I am sniffing Chris Curtis at -185. He has a qualified check hook. Curtis will unseat the masterpiece.

Allen vs. Evloev
I adopt Movsar Evloev at -190. He has a radical lumberjack sweep. Evloev will likely heal the underdog.

Jasudavicius vs. Cachoeira
I favor Jasmine Jasudavicius at -380. She has an amazing overhand and a luxurious demeanor. Jasudavicius will likely usurp the corner man.

Katona vs. Armfield
I go with Brad Katona at -210. He has a yucky spinning back fist. Katona might bully the cycle.

Magny vs. Malott
I desire Mike Malott at -380. He has a tasty jab and an advanced chin. Malott might quarantine the achievement.

Jourdain vs. Woodson
I take Charles Jourdain at -205. He has a underrated crotch-hold. Jourdain could boil the senses.

Pennington vs. Bueno Silva
I take Mayra Bueno Silva at -165. She has a ultrasonic lapel choke. Bueno Silva could feign the opposing forces.

Lainesse vs. Patterson
I am sniffing Yohan Lainesse at -150. He has a wacky counter left and an amazing dim mak. Lainesse shall shatter the cutman.

Gordon vs. Flick
I am sniffing Malcolm Gordon at -205. He has a underrated armpit slam. Gordon might blend the ring announcer.

Sidey vs. Taveras II
I take Serhiy Sidey at -180. He has a priceless dragon sleeper. Sidey isn't about to incorporate the chosen one.

Robertson vs. Viana
I take Gillian Robertson at -305. She has a kosher crescent kick and a homemade character and also a wacky clawhold. Robertson won't grind the TV audience.

Strickland vs. Du Plessis
Dricus Du Plessis, TKO, R2
One of the most fascinating fights in the last cpl years. I love MMA when flawed or very unusual, idiosyncratic fighters face off and you have to try and predict the madness. Kind of like early MMA when guys were more specialized and weren't all a different % mix of wrestle, kickbox, bjj. But this fight feels more like trying to predict a Beyblade match up rather than an MMA one.

I have absolutely no idea either. It feels like one of those fights where it will be onesided and "obvious" in hindsight whatever happens, especially if Sean does his usual thing.

I'm mostly hoping we don't actually get a boring fight where DDP gasses in the 2nd round but survives for 5 and Sean never overextends himself and just rides it out to a decision.

Strickland vs Dricus
I am taking Strickland. Dricus throws a lot of volume and always moves forward. And then he pauses, gets a rest and blitzes again. I feel the difference here is that Strickland will not allow that rest time, and he will move forward and pressure during those breaks and make Dricus move backwards. Dricus is not a fighter who fights on the backfoot and I can see him getting pressured back, just like what happened to Abus. Sean probably weathers the storm in round 1 and starts to take over after Dricus starts to slow down. Dricus will likely get a few take downs but Sean should be able to get up and I don't see him getting submitted. The whole narrative about Dricus having magically improved cardio after a nose operation is a red herring in my opinion. Think about it, when you get tired when you are exercising what do you do? You breathe out of your mouth anyway. Strickland by late KO.

MBS vs Pennington
I just feel that MBS while very dangerous got her recent wins with opportunistic submissions against old or mid tier opposition, and that Pennington is not going to allow. Pennington has better striking, high volume and good wrestling defense. While Myra has more power she has lower output and I can see her getting tired over the later rounds. If this had been 3 rounds I would pick MBS but over 5 I am going with Pennington to stay safe from the submission and win a grinding decision.

Magny vs Mallot
Mallot should win this. He is better on the feet, has very nice movement and footwork and powerful strikes, If he wants to take it to the ground he should be able to. Sure his chin and cardio are somewhat untested but Magny is a handpicked opponent who should not be able to finish him even if he were to tire out. Either a finish or a clear win in the first 2 rounds is what I see happening. I will take Mallot by round 2 finish. His submissions are pretty damn good.

Curtis vs Barriault
The one I am most torn on. Chris is a counter striker who is really good at finding the clear damaging counter strike despite having lower volume in the first round especially, while Marc stalks forward and pressures, clinches, hits you with uppercuts and small punches and shots in the clinch. One worry is Marc could hit Chris with some decent leg kicks. This should stay standing, but I think the difference here will be the body shots of Curtis. Even in the clinch he should be able to pepper Marc with body shots and his counter striking should open up as Marc moves forward. Curtis by decision or round 3 KO. Tough one to call.

Katona vs Armfeild
Another really good close fight. I think the difference here will be Katona's grappling and takedowns. I think he will revert back to his slow grinding style and wrestle and grapple a lot more than stay on the feet and trade with Armfield. if he doesn't this will be even closer. But he really is good and he has beaten some really good opponents. Can't ingore that. Katona decision.

Jourdain vs Woodson
I think Jourdain is just at another level now, while Woodson seems on the decline to me. Woodson does not have the power to keep Jourdain off him despite the size and reach advantage. And I can see Jourdain peppering him with kicks to those skinny legs and body and pushing forward ignoring Woodson's strikes. He will have the more powerful strikes, the better chin and the better cardio and we all know he will pour it on late. I think Jourdain is coming into his prime and I think he dismantles Woodson. Hope I am right because I really really like his style. Jourdain by late finish (either KO or sub)

Already broken down most of the others so not going to go into them again. I like Sidey by finish, Gillian by finish, Jasmine by finish, Gordon by decision/late finish and in a very volatile dangerous fight Lianesse by KO

Good luck guys! 

We also have the exact same picks beside you picking Gordan and I’m picking Flick, hope we both on the same stoke of genius because I need a big win

Also, I’m expecting a pretty fun card with all these finishes, even tho theirs only 2 fights I care about being Allen vs Evloev and the main event, but I also think this card has tons of fun fights on it that, I think it one of these snecky good card. It shouldn’t be nowhere near $70, i think it’s a scam, but I’m illegal streaming the card so I don’t really care about price 

* Edited at 01.20.2024, 5:32 PM ET *

@Oddsbot 

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Sidey vs. Taveras II
Serhiy Sidey, DEC
SOURCE D

Robertson vs. Viana
Gillian Robertson, DEC
SOURCE D

Lainesse vs. Patterson
Sam Patterson, DEC
SOURCE D

Jasudavicius vs. Cachoeira
Priscila Cachoeira, DEC
SOURCE A

Gordon vs. Flick
Malcolm Gordon, DEC
SOURCE D

Very slim chance of happening, but Neil Magny paying 19$ to win by dec in Australia is absurd. 100 to win 1900 is tempting but is probably stupid. 

Gordon vs. Flick
Jimmy Flick, SUB, R2
u2.5

 I am so bored I ran out of instagram feed.

Please start the fights

Evloev by finish is +600 hmm. I mean I know everyone that's on Evloev have decision but.. just saying.

 allen is going to make it look easy.

Hopefully I'm wrong on the main event but I see an otherwise very good night for Canada. I don't think there will be a clean sweep but it will be close! I only have Katona and Powerbar losing.