On Monday afternoon, UFC president Dana White dropped the announcement of three new headlining title fights to open up the first three months of 2024.
First, White announced that new middleweight champion Sean Strickland would defend his title for the first time against Dricus Du Plessis in the main event of UFC 297. The card is rumored to be taking place in Toronto, Canada with a women's bantamweight title in the co-main event.
BREAKING, per Dana White
— Amy Kaplan (@PhotoAmy33) November 6, 2023
JAN - Sean Stickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis
FEB- Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria
MAR- Sean O'Malley vs. Chito Vera
All PPV headliners
After that, we'll have UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski taking on Ilia Topuria at a location and date to be determined. In March we see new bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley vs. Chito Vera in a rematch for the title.
That big news dump caused a bit of a frenzy with MMA Twitter we reacted to the news of the big fights.
MMA Twitter reacts to Sean Stickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis
Strickland vs Dricus means no undeserved title shot for Khamzat 🥳 pic.twitter.com/CC9QGUntkY
— Sobervated Conor 🥃 (Fan of Conor McGregor) (@SobervatedConor) November 6, 2023
Strickland vs. Du Plessis, nice. Glad they did the right thing. Chimaev can get next or after another MW win.
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) November 6, 2023
Sean Strickland and DDP fighting for the belt is the craziest thing ever. 😂 2023 really shifted courses. I am here for it
— TheMMAfoo🦉 (@TheMMAfoo) November 6, 2023
MMA Twitter reacts to Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilia Topuria
Dana White makes upcoming fight announcements.
— Geralt (@Geralt31065966) November 6, 2023
Sean Strickland vs Dricus Du Plessis in January
Alexander Volkanovski vs Ilia Topuria in February
Sean O'Malley vs Chito Vera in March #UFC pic.twitter.com/pZ5LB1vel1
TOPURIA VS VOLKANOVSKI https://t.co/GicEoM5YBj pic.twitter.com/XnemnrQ0Fe
— salxw3rr 🥷 (@salxw2rr16) November 6, 2023
January: Strickland/DDP
— Zay (@zaydynamite) November 6, 2023
February: Volkanovski/Topuria
March: O'Malley/Vera pic.twitter.com/VhP41i3y5U
MMA Twitter reacts to Sean O'Malley vs. Chito Vera
Sean O’Malley fight announced ask me if I care about Chelsea
— ♤ (@notorioushamz) November 6, 2023
Hate that Volk can’t take more time off because the UFC can’t book a ppv without a title fight.
— Tim Koskuba (@TKoskuba) November 6, 2023
Also, skipping over Merab and Sandhagen is just gross. Coddling O’Malley like they have done his whole career. Ugh. https://t.co/836gWZwgZx