Dana White shared his personal scorecard for the main event championship fight. White stated that he had the fight scored 2-2 heading into the fifth and final round. He believes that Sean Strickland won the fifth round. This scoring perspective from the UFC president provides insight into how closely contested the fight was. White's scorecard would have resulted in a 48-47 decision for Strickland.
Dana White revealed his personal scorecard for the middleweight championship main event, disclosing that he saw the fight as a razor-thin contest that ultimately went in Sean Strickland's favor on his card.
The UFC president said he had the bout scored two rounds apiece heading into the fifth and final frame, and that he awarded that decisive round to Strickland. Under that scoring, the fight would have ended 48-47 for the reigning champion.
Strickland, 35, enters this stretch of his career as the reigning middleweight champion, carrying a professional record of 31-7-0. The six-foot-one orthodox fighter out of Xtreme Couture boasts a 76-inch reach and is one of the more prolific volume strikers in the division, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy. He is not a heavy grappler, averaging just 0.71 takedowns per 15 minutes, but his output on the feet has defined his rise to the top of the 185-pound class.
Why it matters
- White's 48-47 card reflects just how competitive the championship rounds were, suggesting the title could have gone either way on the judges' scorecards.
- The middleweight title picture remains in focus with Strickland retaining his status as champion, and any perception of a close fight typically accelerates the timeline for a rematch or next contender bout.
- Strickland's high strike output and pressure style tends to produce split opinions among scorers, making White's public scorecard a notable data point in the post-fight conversation.
