UFC 297: Strickland vs. Du Plessis Odds and Betting Tips
REWIND six months, and the idea of Sean Strickland vs Dricus du Plessis headlining the first major UFC show of 2024 seemed highly unlikely.
However, Sean Strickland’s shock victory over Isreal Adesanya in September has propelled the controversial fighter into the limelight, and his clash with Du Plessis at UFC 297 this Saturday night has all the makings of an explosive and unpredictable encounter.
The UFC will head to Canada for the show, with the Scotiabank Arena in Ontario playing host to the fight. In this UFC 297: Strickland vs Du Plessis preview, I’m going to take a look at how the bookies have priced the fight, and find some value in alternative markets, as well as exploring potential outcomes.
Saturday’s fight is one of the closest I can remember. The top UFC bookies are slightly favouring the champ, with Sean Strickland priced at 4/5 with Ladbrokes, while Dricus du Plessis is at 21/20. A draw with bet365 is priced at 80/1.
- Sean Strickland - 4/5 with Ladbrokes
- Dricus du Plessis - 21/20 with Ladbrokes
- Draw -80/1 with bet365
Sean Strickland shocked the UFC when he rounded off an impressive 2023 with a unanimous decision victory against Isreal Adesanya. Since winning the Middleweight Title in September, Strickland has not been far from the headlines, with his controversial opinions and explosive personality constantly attracting media attention.
Strickland’s win against Adesanya was the icing on a very sweet year for ‘Tarzan’, who also registered wins against Abusupiyan Magomedov and Nassourdine Imavov through TKO and UD, respectively. His win over Adesanya, while surprising, was no fluke. Strickland knocked the champ down in the first round and, while he was unable to finish him off, scored a fairly dominant points victory.
Dricus du Plessis is no stranger to upset victories himself. The #2 ranked Middleweight scored an epic TKO victory over Robert Whittaker back in July, in a fight that could have laid claim to being the biggest shocker of the year were it not for Strickland’s win in September.
Du Plessis will come into the fight fired up, and he is unbeaten since joining the UFC in 2020. His six-fight winning streak in the promotion has seen him finish five fights, three by KO and two by submission. Brad Tavares remains the only fighter to take him the distance, doing so at UFC 276. Of the six fights, four of them have been finished before the end of the second round, so you can expect fireworks on Saturday.
Sean Strickland vs Dricus du Plessis looks to be one of the most unpredictable main events in recent UFC history. Let’s take a look at some bets that could be worth considering for Saturday’s big fight.
The odds for Saturday’s fight are extremely narrow, with Strickland marginally backed to win. However, I feel like he could run into trouble against Du Plessis, who has shown himself to be a ruthless finisher since joining the UFC, something which is a department Strickland is lacking in.
It’s an emotionally charged encounter, and this could play right into Dricus du Plessis’s hands, with the striker finishing the fight with a KO that will be heard worldwide. If you want to back Dricus du Plessis to win by KO/TKO, you can do so at 5/2 with talkSPORT Bet.
As I’ve already mentioned, emotions are running high ahead of Saturday’s showdown, and Dricus du Plessis will want to finish this fight. ‘Stillknocks’ has only ever won one fight by decision, with 19 of his 20 wins coming by either submission or knockout.
Given the way this fight is likely to play out, a points finish feels unlikely. If you want to back the fight to not go the distance, it is available at 5/13 with bet365.
If you want to back Sean Strickland to win, I recommend backing him to win by points. Unlike his opponent, many of Strickland’s fights have ended with a decision in his favour, with 13 of his 28 wins coming this way.
Strickland shocked everybody with his performance against Adesanya in September, dominating the fight but was unable to deliver the knockout finish he desired. If you fancy something similar to play out on Saturday, you can back it at 3/1 with Ladbrokes.
If you want to bet on Sean Strickland vs Dricus du Plessis this weekend, follow these simple steps:
- Choose the bookmaker you want to place your bet with.
- If you are a new customer, remember to claim your welcome bonus.
- Head to the all sports section and find UFC/MMA.
- Find UFC 297 and select the Sean Strickland vs Dricus du Plessis fight.
- Choose the market you want to bet on and add your selection to your slip.
- Tune in and enjoy the fight.
Sean Strickland vs Dricus du Plessis is for the Middleweight Title. Middleweight in the UFC stipulates fighters have to weigh between 171-185lbs for title fights. Strickland weighed in at 184.9lbs for his last fight in September, with Du Plessis weighing in at 186lbs for his last fight, which was the maximum limit for a non-title fight.
Yes. This will be the first time Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis have fought. Both men have competed in the UFC Middleweight division for several years, with Dricus du Plessis currently ranked #2 behind Isreal Adesanya.
Despite having a reputation for being a bit of a knockout artist, Dricus du Plessis has fewer KOs than Sean Strickland. Strickland, however, has had 11 more fights than his opponent. Strickland has won 11 fights by KO, while Du Plessis has won nine.
Du Plessis has a much more dominant submission record than Sean Strickland. ‘Stillknocks’ has won ten fights by submission, while Strickland has only won four. Du Plessis’s last submission victory was against Darren Till in 2022, while Strickland has not submitted an opponent since 2014.
Sean Strickland is much more experienced in the Octagon than Dricus du Plessis. Strickland has had 33 fights, while Du Plessis has had 22. Strickland has been fighting professionally since 2008, with Du Plessis making his debut five years later in 2013.
In the UFC, Sean Strickland has won more titles than Dricus du Plessis. Strickland has won one title, the Middleweight Championship, which he is defending in this match. However, Du Plessis has held titles outside of the UFC, holding the EFC Middleweight Championship and the KSW Middleweight Championship.
Sean Strickland is more likely to get KO’d on Saturday night. The fighter has lost two previous fights by KO, including a loss in 2022 to Alex Pereira, while Du Plessis has never been knocked out in his career.
Both fighters were active in 2023, with Sean Strickland having three fights and Dricus du Plessis having two. Sean Strickland fought more recently, defeating Isreal Adesanya in September, while Du Plessis’s last fight was a TKO win over Robert Whittaker in July.
- Location: Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada
- Date and time: Main Card: 3 am Sunday, Jan 21st (UK)
- TV/Streaming: TNT Sports Box Office
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