Can Strickland Dethrone Du Plessis to Touch UFC Gold Once More?
UFC 312 is the next major event in the Ultimate Fighting Championship calendar, and we have a fantastic night of entertainment in store. The fight card is packed with many top names, but the main event is the re-match between current UFC Middleweight Championship holder Dricus du Plessis and former champion Sean Strickland.
The First Meeting
This re-match will take place on the 9th of February at the Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney but the previous clash between Du Plessis and Strickland happened in Toronto, Canada. The fight was the headline event but it was Strickland who was the defending UFC Middleweight champion, and Du Plessis was the challenger. The fight was extremely close and it could have gone either way, but the split decision went in favour of Du Plessis and he became the first South African UFC champion. Given the closeness of the fight, there was a legitimate call for a rematch and now is the time to take advantage of a 1xbet bonus code and have a wager on what is sure to be a thrilling contest.
The Favourite
Du Plessis will enter the fight as the favourite with the bookmakers and it is easy to see why when looking at his form. The South African fighter is undefeated in the UFC and his most recent victory came against Israel Adesanya, showing he can beat the very best. Du Plessis has 8 fights in the UFC, and he has won them all, with other notable victories coming against Robert Whittaker and Derek Brunson. However, it was the follow-up win over Adesanya that will have added another layer of confidence to Du Plessis ahead of this fight.
The Outsider
It is unfair to class Strickland as an outsider given there is not a lot between the two fighters in the betting odds but the American’s odds are longer than his opponents. Strickland will feel he should have retained his belt against Du Plessis in their first meeting and he got back to winning ways with a split decision victory over Paulo Costa at UFC 302 in June 2024. Strickland is the more experienced of the two fighters having been in the UFC for over a decade and has bounced back successfully from defeats in the past.
Who Will Win?
To regain his title, Strickland is going to have to achieve something no other man has done in UFC and that is defeat Du Plessis. The South African boasts the perfect blend of aggression, power, and grappling plus has a way of fighting that can be somewhat awkward. However, it was that quirky way of fighting that helped Du Plessis to victory in the first meeting with Strickland and the American must keep his composure and stick the plan if he is to succeed. Strickland is going to have to be at the top of his game to win whereas Du Plessis can find a way to win, even if he is a little below his best. Therefore, this could be another tough night for Strickland, who may have to wait a little longer to touch gold again in the UFC.
