Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis headlined UFC 297 this Saturday, the promotion’s first stop in Toronto since 2018.
While the Canadian return came last June in Vancouver, it’s Toronto getting arguably a stronger card with two title fights, including the ever-controversial Strickland, who has managed to offend even while playing himself up as the bringer of free speech to Canadian fight fans.
The second title bout on the card, vastly overshadowed in the build-up, sees Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno Silva throwing down over the vacant women’s bantamweight title. Amanda Nunes retired following UFC 289 in Vancouver last year, and one of Pennington and Silva will leave Canada with that belt in tow.
Weigh-ins for UFC 297 take place Friday morning in Toronto, getting underway at 9AM ET. Full results can be found below.
The biggest surprise early in Friday’s weigh-in window was a change in weight class, as Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Priscila Cachoeira was bumped to bantamweight from 125lbs due to Brazil’s Cachoeira struggling with her weight.
Malcolm Gordon missed weight for his flyweight fight with Jimmy Flick, scheduled to open the UFC 297 card. With roughly 20 minute remaining in the weigh-in window, he was 1.5lbs over. Under Ontario rules, fighters can have an extra hour to make weight if they weigh in heavy, but the hard cut off is 11AM. Ultimately, Gordon did not have time for a second attempt.
Weighing in last, Ramon Taveras was 3.5lbs heavy for his bantamweight rematch with Serhiy Sidey. Both fights, however, will move forward, with Gordon forfeiting 20% and Taveras 30% of his purse, per UFC officials.
UFC 297: Strickland vs. Du Plessis Weigh-In Results
Main card
Middleweight: Sean Strickland (c) (184.75) vs. Dricus du Plessis (184) — for the UFC middleweight championship
Women’s Bantamweight: Raquel Pennington (134.8) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva (135) — for the vacant UFC women’s bantamweight championship
Welterweight: Neil Magny (170.75) vs. Mike Malott (170.5)
Middleweight: Chris Curtis (185.25) vs. Marc-André Barriault (184.5)
Featherweight: Arnold Allen (145.5) vs. Movsar Evloev (145.75)
Preliminary card
Bantamweight: Brad Katona (136) vs. Garrett Armfield (135.25)
Featherweight: Charles Jourdain (145.5) vs. Sean Woodson (145.5)
Bantamweight: Serhiy Sidey (135) vs. Ramon Taveras (139.75)**
Women’s Strawweight: Gillian Robertson (115.75) vs. Polyana Viana (115.75)
Early preliminary card
Welterweight: Yohan Lainesse (170.75) vs. Sam Patterson (169.5)
Women’s Bantamweight: Jasmine Jasudavicius (133) vs. Priscila Cachoeira (133.5)
Flyweight: Malcolm Gordon (127.5)* vs. Jimmy Flick (126)
* Malcolm Gordon weighs in 1.5lbs over the non-title flyweight limit. Fight moves forward, Gordon will forfeit 20% of his purse
** Ramon Taveras weighs in 3.75lbs over the non-title bantamweight limit. Fight moves forward, Taveras will forfeit 30% of his purse
