Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis odds and betting tips
Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis goes down this Saturday, January 21, at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena.
It will be close to 6 am on Sunday, January 22, in the UK when the two UFC stars step into the Octagon. Before they do, we’ve cast a critical eye over the championship bout.
One thing we know is that the UFC 297 main event is going to be spicy. Strickland and Du Plessis started their fight a few weeks ago at UFC 296. That scuffle, however, will have nothing on this weekend’s middleweight title fight. With Strickland making his first defence and Du Plessis out to prove a point, it’s set to be a barnstormer.
As ever, the UK’s top sports betting sites have a plethora of UFC 297 odds and we’ve sifted through them to find you the best lines. So, as Bruce Buffer would say, “it’s time” for our Strickland vs. Du Plessis betting preview.
Which UFC betting sites have the best odds for Strickland vs. Du Plessis? Based on our research, the best outright win lines are:
- Sean Strickland to win at 8/11 with Ladbrokes
- Draw at 80/1 with bet365
- Dricus Du Plessis to win at11/10 with Coral
Sean Strickland is, in some people’s eyes, an unlikely champion. He wasn’t a standout prospect in the early days of his career but, over time, he’s become a very hard man to beat. Despite that fact, his recent form has been patchy with only three wins from his last five.
That run doesn’t look great on first inspection, but those numbers don’t tell the whole story. Strickland’s recent losses were to light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and top contender, Jared Cannonier. Some would argue Cannonier isn’t an elite fighter, but he’s tough and Strickland only lost by decision.
Interestingly, the majority of Strickland’s wins have been by decision. As per the statistics, 13 of his 28 wins (46%) are by decision. This, combined with the fact he has an 84% takedown defence rate, suggests Strickland could emerge victorious after five rounds against Du Plessis.
What we can’t discount, however, is Strickland’s striking. The official UFC stats show that 90% of Strickland’s strikes are to the head. We also know he’s knocked out 11 of his 33 opponents. Add to this the fact he spars more than most fighters, and there’s a chance Strickland could add another KO to his record.
Dricus Du Plessis hasn’t lost since he was knocked out by Robert Soldic in 2018. That loss was only one of two in his career, and neither was in the UFC. It’s also worth noting that Du Plessis is riding an eight-fight win streak. That’s not just any old eight-fight win streak. Du Plessis beat Darren Till, Derek Brunson and former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker to set up a clash with Strickland at UFC 297.
In terms of fighting style, Du Plessis has an all-round game but, as former UFC fighter Dan Hardy has said, it’s unorthodox. Hardy also likened Du Plessis to an oversized puppy with bounding energy. It’s this bounding style that allows him to unsettle opponents and throw powerful strikes from unexpected angles.
Taking Strickland by surprise could certainly help him land shots and, if necessary, takedowns. We also know Du Plessis has been to a decision once. That means his average fight time is 9 minutes and 11 seconds. For comparison, Sean Strickland’s average fight time is 14 minutes and 43 seconds. This disparity could be important when you’re sizing up the latest UFC bets, as we’ll discuss in a moment.
For now, we know Du Plessis is awkward and powerful. He’s also got a slick ground game he might use if Strickland’s defence is too slick. That being said, Du Plessis hasn’t fought on a stage like this before. He’s been a champion in other organisations, but he’s never gone five rounds. That’s why he’s the underdog in this fight. But, based on our analysis, he’s far from a longshot.
Sports betting tips should be based on statistics, experience, insights and, finally, odds. We’ve looked through the latest Strickland vs. Du Plessis odds and picked out three bets that may offer some value.
Dan Hardy and other UFC analysts have pointed out that Du Plessis can be susceptible to fatigue in his fights. We also know he’s never been five rounds and his average fight time is 5 minutes less than Strickland’s. Adding to the idea that UFC 297 could be a war of attrition is Strickland’s relaxed, economical fighting style.
He spars so often that he’s confident every time he steps into the Octagon. This could be the difference. A tough first three rounds for Du Plessis could leave him vulnerable in the fourth, making a win for Strickland an attractive bet at 16/1. If not, 22/1 for Strickland to win in round 5 is also an enticing offering from talkSPORT BET.
Based on the idea that Du Plessis needs to avoid deep waters in this fight, we like the look of him winning early. His bounding, unconventional style could confuse Strickland. An unsettled Strickland would be vulnerable to power shots and, perhaps more significantly, takedowns.
Du Plessis has 10 wins by submission, many of which have been rear-naked chokes. Could he take the back of Strickland? It’s far from an easy task, but Du Plessis is strong and will have plenty of energy in the early rounds. The only caveat here is that getting takedowns will expend a lot of energy. So, if he doesn’t get one, the later rounds will be a struggle. However, if Du Plessis decides to go for it, 11/1 on a submission win in round 2 could be a good wager at bet365.
This might be the best UFC 297 bet based on everything we know about Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis. Strickland wins by decision more often than not. He’s got a longer average fight time and has an economic style. Du Plessis hasn’t ever gone a full five rounds and he’ll probably try to overwhelm Strickland in the early rounds.
Sean Strickland is also very good at getting into an opponent’s range. Du Plessis likes to fight at range and create odd angles. Strickland walks forward like a marauding zombie. This takes away a lot of Du Plessis’ biggest threats. Assuming Strickland can do this for 25 minutes, 3/1 on a decision win seems to be a generous price at Ladbrokes.
You can bet on Strickland vs Du Plessis and get bonuses with our recommended UK betting sites. Use our sign-up links and, as well as unlocking welcome bonuses, you can bet on UFC 297 by following these steps:
- Log in and make a deposit.
- Tap “MMA/UFC” on the menu.
- Find the latest Strickland vs Du Plessis odds.
- Tap the odds next to your chosen bet.
Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis will fight for the UFC middleweight title at UFC 297. Both fighters will weigh in at 185 pounds (84 kg).
Yes, this is the first time Strickland and Du Plessis have been scheduled to fight. They’ve both fought some of the UFC’s top talent, but they’ve never crossed paths in the Octagon. They have, however, traded blows cage side while watching UFC 296.
Sean Strickland has more KO/TKO wins in his career. As per the stats, Strickland has 11 knockouts from 33 pro fights for a 39% KO rate. Du Plessis has fewer KO/TKO wins in his career with nine. What’s interesting though is that he has a better KO rate at 45%.
When it comes to ground fighting, Du Plessis has a superior record with 10 submission wins from 22 fights. Although he’s a solid wrestler, Strickland is far from the aggressor when it comes to submissions and only has four on his record.
Sean Strickland is the more experienced of the two fighters with 33 fights under his belt. Du Plessis has fought 22 times, and some would say his route into the UFC was easier than Strickland’s. Du Plessis enjoyed success in organisations outside of the UFC before signing in 2020.
Strickland also competed outside of the UFC in his early career, but he’s been with the organisation since 2014. Having a decade’s worth of experience on the biggest stage in MMA can’t be discounted ahead of UFC 297.
Both Strickland and Du Plessis have won two MMA titles in their career. Dricus Du Plessis won the EFC welterweight title in 2016, two years after fighting for the organisation’s middleweight title (he lost that fight). He then won the KSW welterweight in 2018, making him a champion in two organisations at the same time.
Sean Strickland won the King of the Cage middleweight title in 2012 and defended four times before making his UFC debut. By far the most important win of Strickland’s career came in September 2023. His unanimous decision win over Israel Adesanya made him the UFC middleweight champion.
It’s hard to say who is more likely to get knocked out because Strickland and Du Plessis are tough men with solid defence. In terms of the facts, Strickland has been knocked out twice. Du Plessis has been KO’d once. Those stats don’t tell the whole story though, so here are a few more to consider if you’re betting on UFC 297:
Sean Strickland:
- 42% striking accuracy
- 82% of his significant strikes go to the head
- 13% of his shots go to the body
- He absorbs, on average, 4.24 significant strikes per minute
- 63% significant strike defence
Dricus Du Plessis:
- 56% striking accuracy
- 67% of his significant strikes go to the head
- 13% of his shots go to the body
- He absorbs, on average, 3.79 significant strikes per minute
- 53% significant strike defence
Based on the numbers and the fact Strickland is coming into his own, we’re going to say Du Plessis is more likely to get knocked out. However, the challenger has power so, if Strickland’s timing is off, the title could change hands at UFC 297.
Sean Strickland fought three times in 2023, while Dricus Du Plessis only fought twice. So, in this area, Strickland has been more active. And, to repeat a previous point, Strickland spars a lot. He’s also enjoying a positive run of form at the moment, which puts him in a good spot heading into his first UFC title defence.
Strickland vs. Du Plessis at UFC 297 takes place on Sunday, January 22, based on UK time. The two fighters in the main event should make their ring walks at around 6 am GMT. You can watch UFC 297 live from the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada, on TNT Sports.
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