"Unlocked new heights of saltiness" - MMA X loses it as fans make change.org petition to overturn Sean Strickland vs. Dricus du Plessis result

The Sean Strickland vs. Dricus du Plessis showdown headlined UFC 297 on Jan. 20, 2024. It witnessed du Plessis win their closely-contested matchup via split decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47) and dethrone 'Tarzan' to become the new UFC middleweight champion.

Certain sections of the MMA community have been critical of the scorecards, as they believe Strickland was more deserving of the judges' nod.

Multiple petitions have been filed on the change.org website, with one seeking to overturn the official decision and others lobbying for a Strickland-du Plessis rematch. The website reportedly represents a US-based organization that claims to help promote social causes by procuring public support.

Official decisions in professional MMA bouts are seldom overturned, but some exceptions do exist, like Demetrious Johnson vs. Ian McCall 1. Fights are usually overturned when the organization promoting the given fight and/or the sanctioning commission and other authorities find that an in-fight rule violation(s) occurred that wasn't addressed until after the decision was announced.

Failed drug tests, incorrect scorecard calculations, and gross indiscretions in the judges' scoring of the bout are viewed among the primary factors that could provide a credible argument for a fight to be overturned.

Many MMA fans have now taken to X and addressed the same. The petition's supporters suggested that they're willing to sign it or have already signed it.

Meanwhile, the petition's detractors mocked it and lambasted its supporters. One X user implied that it's "pathetic," whereas a few others seemed to sarcastically state that it won't garner much support. One fan accused Sean Strickland's fans of unlocking another level of resentful behavior:

"Sean fans unlocked new heights of saltiness"

Check out the screenshots of a few fan reactions below:

Screenshots of fan reactions

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Sean Strickland vs. Dricus du Plessis: Dana White disagrees with the judges' decision at UFC 297

During the UFC 297 post-fight press conference, UFC CEO Dana White revealed that he disagreed with the judges' verdict and felt Sean Strickland did enough to keep the title. White implied that in fights that go the distance, a challenger must dominantly defeat the champion to win the title.

Expressing his respect for both fighters, Dana White particularly praised Sean Strickland for his stellar utilization of the jab in the UFC 297 clash against Dricus du Plessis. He notably emphasized that 'Tarzan's' jab did its job by ensuring that du Plessis' eyes were eventually swollen shut.

White insinuated that Strickland did great in rounds one and two, whereas 'Stillknocks' came back strong in the third and fourth. Nevertheless, he scored the fifth round for Strickland. The UFC boss said:

"I had it 2-2 going into the last round and I thought Strickland won the last round. Um, guys who were sitting at the same table had it the other way. You know, it was a close fight. I thought Strickland looked great in the first two rounds."

Check out White's comments below: