TORONTO – New middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis didn’t mince words when he heard his boss thought he lost the UFC 297 main event.
Du Plessis (21-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC) took a split decision from Sean Strickland (28-6 MMA, 15-6 UFC) in the headliner in Toronto to win the belt. It was Strickland’s first attempted title defense after he upset Israel Adesanya to win the belt in 2023. Du Plessis became the first South African champ in UFC history.
But UFC CEO Dana White said he had the fight even going into the fifth round, then scored that last frame for Strickland. The three cageside judges had two 48-47 cards for Du Plessis; a dissenting judge had it 48-47 for Strickland.
The three judges, however, were unanimous in four of the five rounds: All three gave Rounds 1 and 5 to Strickland, and all three gave Rounds 2 and 4 to Du Plessis. That left the middle round as the decisive one, and Du Plessis took that from two of the three judges.
When asked at his post-fight news conference at Scotiabank Arena about the closeness of the fight, and that some had it the other way, Du Plessis appeared more than a little perturbed White thought he lost.
“Just for the record, are there some people who think I lost the fight?” Du Plessis asked the room of media members. “Dana said it? Well, bullsh*t.”
White did, however, say the fight was close and that as many people sitting near him in Toronto seemed to have it for Du Plessis as those who scored the bout for Strickland.
White also said Du Plessis’ new status as champion could fast-track the UFC’s ambition to put on a fight on the continent of Africa for the first time. With Du Plessis in the mix, in all likelihood that would be in the South African capital city of Johannesburg.
That’s one good piece of news for Du Plessis – though he also said he’s interested in fighting at UFC 300 in April on a quick turnaround. His intention, he said, is to hold the middleweight title for a long enough time that he’ll eventually fight in his home country again.
The enjoyment of his win over Strickland might have to be short if he wants to be back in less than three months. But Du Plessis acknowledged he won a close fight and will relish the victory for a bit.
“It was a close fight, make no mistake – but I thought I had it” Du Plessis said. “When that split decision came, I thought, ‘This is, 100 percent, 50-50 (if I win or lose).’ When they said ‘And new …,’ it felt like 15 years of work and sacrifice together in one single sentence. It feels surreal. It’s amazing.
“I thought I did enough to win the fight. It definitley was a close fight. He won the first round and I made the necessary adjustments. … At the end of the day, I went toe-to-toe with the self-proclaimed best boxer in the UFC.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 297.
Led by rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, the Texans pummeled the Cleveland Browns in the wild-card round, with Stroud becoming the youngest QB to ever win an NFL playoff game. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, expected to win his second career MVP award, is 1-3 in four career playoff games, throwing three touchdowns with five interceptions.
The winner of the Ravens-Texans game advances to face either the Buffalo Bills or Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship next weekend.
USA TODAY Sports will provide the latest updates, news, highlights and analysis throughout this NFL playoff matchup. Follow along.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz: Ravens 28, Texans 20
Lorenzo Reyes: Ravens 28, Texans 21
Peyton Manning, Carmelo Anthony in the building
“The Bank really is the place to be,” the Ravens tweeted Saturday morning, referring to the M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. And the Ravens aren’t lying.
Stars flocked to the sidelines ahead of the Ravens’ divisional round matchup against the Texans on Saturday afternoon. Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning caught up with Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith, while tight end Mark Andrews dapped up former NBA star Carmelo Anthony.
Other celebrity attendees include former NBA player Rudy Gay, a Baltimore native, and comedian Stavros Halkias.
Ravens, Texans inactives listed
The inactives have been listed for both teams.
Jim Harbaugh in Baltimore to support brother
Jim Harbaugh already captured a championship in 2024, and he’s hoping his brother can do the same.
The Michigan head football coach is at M&T Bank Stadium to support John Harbaugh and Baltimore in its divisional matchup on Saturday. The two were seen greeting each other as the Ravens arrived at the stadium.
This is the organization’s 15th playoff appearance since becoming the Baltimore Ravens in 1996. The team is 16-12 in the postseason, winning Super Bowls 35 and 47. Baltimore is 4-7 in 11 divisional round games and 2-2 in the AFC championship game.
Texans NFL playoff history
This is the Texans' seventh postseason appearance since the franchise was founded in 2002. They are 5-6 in 11 total playoff games and 0-4 in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs. Houston has never reached the AFC championship game.
Ravens vs. Texans history
The Baltimore Ravens are 11-2 all-time against the Houston Texans, including a 20-13 win in the 2012 AFC divisional playoffs. The two teams met in Week 1 of the 2023 regular season, a 25-9 Ravens win at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
Ravens vs. Texans weather
The Baltimore weather forecast calls for temperatures in the low-mid 20s with winds around 20 mph around kickoff at 4:30 p.m. ET. The region was hit with snow throughout the week.
Who is favored in Ravens vs. Texans?
The top NFL betting apps favor the Ravens over the Texans in their divisional playoff game.
Ravens vs. Texans spread
The Ravens are 9.5-point favorites over the Texans according to the BetMGM NFL odds.
The Ravens are a –480 favorite on the moneyline. Meanwhile, the Texans are a +360 underdog, according to BetMGM.
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On Saturday,Sean Stricklanddefends his middleweight title againstDricus du Plessisin the main event ofUFC 297at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. This is Strickland’s first title defense since taking the belt fromIsrael AdesanyaatUFC 293and the two men enter with a healthy amount of bad blood, stemming from a heated press conference in December.
How will each man approach this fight, and how do they take home the win? Let’s take a look.
Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images
Paths to Victory for Sean Strickland at UFC 297
Against all odds, somehow we are here: Sean Strckland is defending a UFC title. Those are certainly words I never thought I’d write, but they’re true, and what’s more, he deserves it.
Strickland’s performance against Adesanya to claim the middleweight title is one of the most remarkable in recent memory. A massive underdog, facing one of the greatest strikers in the history of the sport, Strickland went into Sydney and made “The Last Stylebender” quit. Sure, he didn’t get a stoppage, but check the tape. With seconds ticking down in the final round of a fight that he was undeniably behind in, Adesanya wilted. Instead of trying to surge forward for a last-minute Hail Mary to save face and his title, Adesanya gave ground while Strickland screamed in his face and beckoned him on. It was a jarring performance, and what made it all the more remarkable is that Strickland did it all with an extremely bare-bones game.
For years, no one could figure out how to beat Adesanya (unless you have a nuclear missile in each fist and are also a world-class kickboxer like Alex Pereira), but Strickland did it easily by doing what he always does: Marching forward behind jabs and teeps, cutting the cage with relentless forward pressure. Adesanya had no answer to it, especially as Strickland’s awkward Philly shell defense kept him safe from single-shot counters, and he slowly faltered under the pressure. If Strickland hopes to retain the title, he has to do the same to du Plessis.
Fortunately for Strickland, he should be able to do so. Du Plessis does not fight off the back foot the same way Adesanya does, but you can press him back with offense. In particular, du Plessis defaults to a high guard and disengaging when opponents press him, which really opens up Strickland to throw in combination. Strickland’s best offense comes when opponents allow him to string together punches, and du Plessis will oblige as he looks to retreat. Pouring it on in these exchanges and then evading the big, single countershot that will come back is pretty much exactly how Strickland wants to go about business.
But Strickland’s biggest opportunity is in attacking the body. For one thing, Strickland’s best weapon is his cardio; du Plessis remains suspect in that area. Ripping the body will only exacerbate his greatest advantage, and given how rarely du Plessis even throws counters — preferring instead to reset the engagement — it’s a pretty safe avenue to fight in. More importantly though, like Denny’s, du Plessis’s body always open. Du Plessis operates with a high guard, and when pressed, he blocks and retreats. Teeps to the body and shots under the high elbows should be readily available nearly all fight long. Those shots broke Adesanya and they can break du Plessis given the chance. If Strickland can consistently back du Plessis up and attack to the body, the battle is all but won.
Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images
Paths to victory for Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297
If there are two more different fighters who are somehow very much the same, I’m not sure who they are. While Strickland is all volume and pressure and cardio, du Plessis is all volume and pressure and physicality. He is a hulking middleweight who excels at imposing his mass on opponents in brutal and violent fashion. To put it more plainly, if Strickland is death by 1,000 cuts, du Plessis is death by 1,000 ax swings.
Like Strickland, du Plessis prefers to be the one coming forward, though he’s not as adept at pressuring as the champion is. He struggled to corner Robert Whittaker in his most recent fight, as “Bobby Knuckles” darted around the cage and pot-shotted him. For a traditionally fast starter, du Plessis couldn’t get much going early because he simply couldn’t find Whittaker. But after adjusting to Whittaker’s plan, du Plessis solved that problem by simply grabbing him and chucking to the floor, where he proceeded to beat the life and agility out of Whittaker. He can do the same to Strickland.
We don’t think of du Plessis as a traditional top position grappler because he’s happy to swing hammers on the feet and he’s not a traditional shot-based wrestler, but ground-and-pound is by far the best aspect of his game. Du Plessis is a demon on top, with the ability to pass guard easily and batter the bejesus out of you while he does it. This is definitely du Plessis’ best path to victory and one I expect him to pursue early and often in this fight. Strickland is a fine grappler and a good defensive wrestler, but du Plessis has a number of good attacks from the clinch, and once he’s on top, I don’t think Strickland is getting up, at least not without absorbing some big shots.
On the feet, I expect to see du Plessis look for one big kill shot, and perhaps use that to create tie-ups, but I think there are a few other interesting ideas he could pursue. The first is kicking the legs — not just the lead, but the rear. Strickland does this awkward march forward where he raises the lead leg off the ground as a check for kicks, a counter he’s adopted to mitigate the weaknesses of his plodding, boxing heavy style. When he does this, he’s standing entirely on his rear leg, and so chopping away at that is a nasty bit of business. It’s a harder kick to throw, requiring more setup, but given the payoff and the relative lack of power coming back at him from Strickland, one that I think could be worth it.
On a similar note, du Plessis should really utilize his feints in this fight. Against Adesanya in particular, Strickland was quick to parry any movement, either with his hands or lifting the front leg. Strickland has to respect du Plessis’ power, so leading with feints should open up better chances to find the big shots he wants.
Most importantly though, du Plessis simply cannot back up. Strickland’s game does not work in reverse, so simply don’t accept anything else. If du Plessis can get Strickland backing up, then he’s won the fight already — and if he can’t, then the two will simply collide in the center of the cage, opening up clinch and grappling opportunities for du Plessis. To win this fight, du Plessis needs to draw a line in the sand and never go back over it.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
X-Factor
How will the build-up affect the fight?
Prior to December, I don’t think anyone believed either Strickland or du Plessis had a major issue with each other. But then came the press conference, the trash talk, and the brawl at UFC 296. Since then, there’s been more trash talk, emotional interviews, and even more pressure built onto Strickland’s shoulders. This week it seems like Strickland and du Plessis have buried the hatchet, but Strickland has always been a loose cannon and who knows what is really going on with him?
The fact is, in 2023, Strickland had nothing to lose. There were minimal expectations and his Cinderella journey to the title was entirely shocking. Now, though, he’s in the spotlight and the weight of the world is on his shoulders. In response to this, he’s lashing out at reporters and generally behaving like a man who doesn’t quite have it all together. Du Plessis, meanwhile, is carrying himself like someone who already has the title, even if it’s not on his person at the moment.
A lot of people hate armchair psychology, and truth be told, it is often dead wrong. This could be one of those instances. But the last time Strickland came into a fight with this sort of pressure and attention, it was against another guy who was preternaturally calm and clobbers people, and we all saw the performance Strickland had against Alex Pereira that night. For some reason, I can’t get it out of my head as UFC 297 approaches.
Prediction
One of the things that makes this matchup so compelling is that each man’s strengths seem to line up perfectly against the other person’s weaknesses. That being said, I favor du Plessis to get his hand raised for two key reasons. First, he’s a very fast starter and Strickland is not (even his team expected to lose the first 10 minutes against Adesanya). Du Plessis may well finish this fight before Strickland can really get rolling. And second, du Plessis can finish the fight. In close matchups like this one, I’m always going to favor the fighter who finishes people, because of simple math. If one fighter can finish and the other can’t, then the Decision Merchant needs 25 minutes of perfection, which is a lot to ask.
Dricus du Plessis def. Sean Strickland via TKO (punches) — 4:23, Round 2.
One savvy NFL bettor has a big decision to make ahead of Sunday’s AFC divisional-round contest between the Chiefs and Bills.
Back in May, one anonymous gambler placed a three-sport parlay on a trio of long shot futures.
Amazingly, the bettor is now just two Kansas City wins away from a life-changing win.
The individual threw down $300 on the Baltimore Orioles to win the American League East, the Miami Heat to win the 2022-23 Eastern Conference and the Chiefs to win the AFC.
The Orioles, who, at the time, still weren’t being taken seriously by oddsmakers, were +950 to win the AL East.
The Heat, whose improbable run to the Finals shocked NBA bettors across the world, were +600 to win the conference.
Overall, the parlay’s odds were nearly 400/1 at the time of the bet, coming in at +37385, or an implied probability of about 0.27.
The bettor could win a whopping $112,155 if Patrick Mahomes and Co. can come through and make their second straight Super Bowl appearance.
Travis Kelce and the Chiefs face the Bills on Sunday. Getty Images
But this lucky gambler has options.
According to PropSwap, the parlay ticket has a market value of $26,150, giving the bettor a chance to cash in before the Chiefs potentially are eliminated from the postseason.
The Chiefs are currently +330 at FanDuel to win the AFC, the third-best odds in the conference behind the Ravens (+115) and Bills (+220).
Betting on the NFL?
Kansas City is a 2.5-point underdog against the Bills this weekend in Buffalo — the first road playoff game of Mahomes’ career.
Ohio State has named Bill O'Brien as its new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, the school announced Friday.
O'Brien, who coached Penn State for two years following the firing of longtime coach Joe Paterno, served as offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots this season.
O'Brien, 54, is expected to have enough autonomy on offense to allow coach Ryan Day to step away from play-calling duties. Though Day named wide receivers coach Brian Hartline the team's offensive coordinator a year ago, Day called plays.
"He brings with him a wealth of knowledge – and a tremendous amount of success – at both the NFL and collegiate levels," Day said in a statement. "He is an excellent and experienced offensive coach who has run NFL and Power 5 programs and developed some truly elite players throughout his career. He’ll be an excellent teacher and recruiter for us, and he absolutely strengthens our staff."
O'Brien will replace Corey Dennis on coach Ryan Day's staff. Dennis, the son-in-law of former OSU coach Urban Meyer, has been the Buckeyes' quarterbacks coach for the last four years. Dennis was on the road recruiting as recently as Wednesday.
A news release said it is anticipated that Dennis will transition into an undetermined role with the program. Hartline will be the co-offensive coordinator in addition to receivers coach.
O'Brien coached Penn State in 2012 and '13 before he was hired as the Houston Texans' head coach. He was there for seven years, leading the Texans to three playoff berths. He was fired when the team started 0-4 in 2020.
Nick Saban then hired him to be the Alabama offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. In 2021, Alabama ranked sixth nationally in scoring, averaging 39.9 points. Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young won the Heisman Trophy that year under O'Brien's tutelage. In 2022, the Crimson Tide ranked fourth nationally, averaging 41.1 points.
This year, he oversaw a Patriots offense that averaged only 13.9 points per game, tied with Carolina for worst in the league.
O'Brien is a Massachusetts native who played football at Brown. He began his coaching career at his alma mater before moving on to Georgia Tech, Maryland and Duke. His first NFL coaching job was with the Patriots. He was with the team for five years in that stint, advancing to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach working with Tom Brady. In O'Brien's final year, the Patriots lost in the Super Bowl to the New York Giants.
He was then hired by Penn State to succeed Paterno, who'd been fired in the aftermath of a sexual abuse scandal involving defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.
O'Brien was named Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2012 for leading the Nittany Lions to an 8-4 record while the program was reeling from the Sandusky scandal and the sanctions caused by it.
Get more Ohio State football news by listening to our podcasts.
Olsen, the Fox announcer, let the world — and especially Greenberg, an ESPN host — know he was correct when he said Sunday the Cowboys would be “crazy” to move on from embattled head coach Mike McCarthy.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones announced Wednesday that McCarthy would return despite the embarrassing 48-32 home loss to the Packers in the wild card matchup.
“I guess I wasn’t so crazy Sunday huh?” Olsen tweeted Wednesday night. “Every weekly talking head said he was gone. Emotional decisions make people feel better. They hardly result in positive outcomes.”
Olsen caused some heads to turn when he said in the final moments of Sunday’s game that the Cowboys should not fire McCarthy, despite a third straight early postseason exit, including two one-and-dones as NFC East champs.
Sunday’s loss was the worst of the bunch as the Cowboys were favored by by seven to 7.5 points at most sportsbooks, and were thoroughly outplayed by a young team.
I guess I wasn’t so crazy Sunday huh?
Every weekly talking head said he was gone. Emotional decisions make people feel better. They hardly result in positive outcomes. https://t.co/1ISJbu9e7B
Mike McCarthy will be back in Dallas for another season. Getty Images
“I think the conversation about replacing Mike McCarthy is crazy talk,” Olsen said Sunday. “But I always think the best exercise is: If you let go of your coach, would anyone else hire him?
“I think the answer with Mike McCarthy is clear. I think teams would jump over themselves to hire him have this level of consistent success. If the answer to that question is yes, that answers it.”
Olsen’s take led Greenberg to tweet his thoughts Sunday night.
WILD: Greg Olsen says any talk about firing Mike McCarthy is “CRAZY TALK”
He said many teams would “JUMP OVER THEMSELVES” to hire McCarthy as their head coach.
“I really enjoy Greg Olsen on TV but I couldn’t disagree with him more on Mike McCarthy,” Greenberg said. “I do not anticipate teams ‘jumping over themselves’ to hire him if he gets fired.”
Olsen found that tweet and explained his logic.
“Can you be sure you can replace a coach that has won 36 games in 3 years, 8-0 at home, and led NFL in scoring as play caller definitely improve from that?” Olsen tweeted while mentioning Greenberg. “I’m fully aware of what comes with Dallas. They are a unique situation. It’s SB or bust.
I really enjoy Greg Olsen on TV but I couldn’t disagree with him more on Mike McCarthy.
I do not anticipate teams “jumping over themselves” to hire him if he gets fired. #Cowboys
“I do believe Carolina, Atlanta, etc would jump over themselves to win 12 games 3 years in a row. Maybe I’m wrong. We’ll find out!!”
Well, the former tight end for the Panthers, Bears and Seahawks called it right as McCarthy will have another shot in the 2024 NFL season to finally get Dallas past the divisional round.
“I believe this team is very close and capable of achieving our ultimate goals and the best step forward for us will be with Mike McCarthy as our head coach,” Jones said in his statement. “There is great benefit to continuing the team’s progress under Mike’s leadership as our head coach.
ESPN host Mike Greenberg. WireImage
“Specifically, there are many layers of success that have occurred this season as a result of Mike’s approach to leading the team, both with individual players and with our team collectively.”
Olsen and play-by-player announcer Kevin Burkhardt will be on hand in Santa Clara on Saturday when the 49ers welcome the Packers.
Timing of Nick Saban's retirement did no favors to his heir.
Caleb Downs headlines list of Alabama football players considering a transfer.
Even Kaleb DeBoer tries to fend off the portal, he should expect demanding expectations from Alabama fans.
The Script A puts on its pants like the rest of college football — one leg at a time, while the transfer portal threatens to strip it bare.
Removed of the protection its generational coach provided, Alabama isn’t immune to its roster being sucked into the portal and the program emerging in a reduced state.
Talented Tide players are marching out the door before Kalen DeBoer even has had time to learn the words to “Dixieland Delight” or familiarize himself with the menu at Chuck’s Fish. A few ballyhooed recruits decommitted, too.
These defections — standout safety Caleb Downs, chief among them — are an undeniable blow in the run up to DeBoer’s inaugural season in the SEC, but they also don’t surprise me.
"It's part of it. It's reality," Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne said Wednesday of the roster losses during an appearance on "The Paul Finebaum Show."
An unpleasant reality, but reality nonetheless.
The portal becomes a siren’s call amid a coaching transition, whether that previous coach retired, was fired or changed jobs. Alabama isn’t unique.
Consider what happened at Oklahoma, another blue-blood program rich with tradition. In the first 14 months after Lincoln Riley fled town, about 30 Sooners transferred. Florida’s turnstiles witnessed a flurry of comings and goings throughout Billy Napier’s first two seasons.
It’s fair to wonder how DeBoer will fare in the SEC’s shark-infested waters, but I don’t view this ongoing exodus as a reflection of his recruiting chops or relationship skills. Rather, this roster turnover reflects college football in 2024. No sooner had DeBoer finished his introductory remarks as Alabama's coach than wide receiver Isaiah Bond transferred to Texas.
Fans cheer for their alma mater, a logo, a brand and a mascot that makes them feel a certain type of way. Players sometimes share in these feelings, but you’re much more likely to find loyalty in the stands than on the field or on the sideline.
On the whole, players compete for coaches with whom they developed good relationships. And NIL deals tilt the scales.
Transfers offer an elixir for first-year coaches who inherit bleak rosters. In the old days (by which I mean before 2021), a coach who stepped into a bad situation would require a few years to have a chance at remaking the roster in a positive direction by signing and developing recruits. Now, coaches in such situations can fast-track a turnaround by stockpiling transfers.
On the other hand, coaches who inherit a well-stocked roster have it more difficult now. Rival programs stand ready to raid the cupboard. Kirby Smart and Hugh Freeze had to rank among the happiest men in America after the news of Saban’s retirement — not because they couldn’t win a coaching chess match against Saban, but because this transition opens access to talented players who otherwise would have played for Saban.
The timing of Saban’s retirement did his heir no favors. Any coach would prefer to be in place at his new school about six weeks sooner than Alabama hired DeBoer. As it is, he will be limited in his ability to combat these departures with helpful arrivals, because the best transfers from other programs were acquired around the holidays.
The portal is closed to new entries until April 15 except for programs like Alabama that are experiencing a coaching transition. The portal will remain open to Alabama players into February. DeBoer must white-knuckle it the whole way while he tries to build relationships at warp speed, complete his coaching staff and make headway on next year’s recruiting class.
While DeBoer faces headwinds, he knows better than to expect patience from a fan base spoiled by inimitable excellence. He never mentioned the “p-word” during his introductory news conference. That's for the best. If he wanted patience, he came to the wrong place.
Alabama will continue to demand excellence, even as the portal siphons off DeBoer’s trump cards.
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