Dricus du Plessis v Sean Strickland top betting picks | UFC 312

Reigning middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis will be out to defend his title when facing Sean Strickland for the UFC 312 main event at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney this Sunday afternoon. The champ scored a controversial split decision over Strickland to secure the belt in 2024, and another win will cement his position as the dominant force at 185 pounds. Read on for our full fight preview and free betting predictions.

Dricus de Plessis v Sean Strickland UFC 312 main event preview

Dricus du Plessis vs Sean Strickland

Dricus du Plessis (22-2-0) has swept all before him since making his UFC debut in 2020 as an unknown prospect from South Africa. The 31-year-old has rattled off eight straight victories, including impressive stoppage wins over former champions Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. This dominance inside the octagon and a capacity to verbally strong-arm opponents outside of it sees the champion enter this contest as a warm favourite with leading UFC bookmakers.

Du Plessis is a difficult assignment for any middleweight due to an unconventional attacking style. He lunges forward with almost reckless abandon on many occasions, seemingly placing himself in immediate danger, but this unique approach to MMA is yet to be solved. The South African is an excellent striker with nine knockouts on his record and boasts 11 professional wins via submission. Remarkably, only two of his fights have lasted the distance, and he remains undefeated on the scorecards.

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Sean Strickland (29-6-0) also brings a unique gameplan to the UFC octagon. The 33-year-old does little training outside of heavy sparring, where his work rate is legendary. The challenger marches forward, remaining inches out of range, while landing volume strikes that accumulate over time. This can prove mentally exhausting for many opponents, who end up being defeated via the relentless psychological pressure.

Strickland’s recent form includes wins over Paulo Costa, Israel Adesanya, and Nassourdine Imavov. His iron chin appears to be holding up well despite the volume of sparring, and the betting outsider appears mispriced in current markets. If he can remain focused, avoid the lunging attacks, and impose a methodically appropriate gameplan, Strickland may be able to score the upset in Sydney and reclaim the middleweight crown.

Du Plessis v Strickland UFC 312 betting predictions

The first fight between these combatants was decided by a mere point on one judge’s scorecard. Strickland was convinced he had done enough to retain the belt, and many pundits agreed with that assessment. The outsider represents excellent value with top UFC betting sites and should be motivated to exact revenge on the man who stole his gold.

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