Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2: Can the South African Overcome the Pressure of a Rematch?
On February 7th, Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland will face off again for the UFC Middleweight Championship, this time at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia during UFC 312. While the South African prevailed in their initial encounter at UFC 297 in Toronto in early 2024, it was a close-run affair after Du Plessis was awarded his victory by way of split decision.
What to Expect in the Rematch?
The prediction is that Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2 will once again be a hard-fought main event and this expectation is backed up by the latest mixed martial arts (MMA) UK betting odds with the South African priced at -163 to win. Strickland, meanwhile, will make his walk to the Octagon at competitive odds of +125.
In short, there is little to choose between the two middleweights which is why the latest sports betting tips predict another brutal showdown. Furthermore, it isn’t in the DNA of either fighter to take a backward step which spells good news for MMA fans.
This time they won’t call it a robbery, they’ll call it attempted murder. #UFC312 #preparetobeamazed pic.twitter.com/oSOJ0ih5yf
— Dricus Du Plessis (@dricusduplessis) December 9, 2024
However, could Du Plessis’ record in rematches offer the first glimpse of what might happen when ‘Still Knocks’ squares up to ‘Tarzan’ in this UFC title contest?
The Last Rematch Du Plessis Was In
In 24 professional MMA fights, Du Plessis has only suffered two losses. The first came back in 2014 during the fifth fight of Du Plessis’ career when he lost to Garreth McLellan while still finding his way on the South African circuit.
That submission loss might have been a blessing in disguise as Du Plessis went back to the drawing board to address some early issues with his technique. As a result, ‘Still Knocks’ was far better prepared for the battles ahead in the steel cage and would go on to rack up eight consecutive wins in the lead-up to 2018.
The last one of those wins came against Croatian welterweight Roberto Soldic during a title match at Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki (KSW) 43 in April 2018. Having taken Soldic’s KSW Welterweight Championship, a rematch was soon scheduled for October.
It would take the Croatian just three rounds to record a knockout (KO) win after a flurry of punches saw ‘Still Knocks’ drop to the canvas.
Once again, Du Plessis learned valuable lessons in defeat as the loss to Soldic marked the last of his professional career. Since then, the South African has notched up ten consecutive wins en route to claiming the UFC Middleweight Championship.
🗣️: “I’m willing to die for this belt” #UFC305@DricusDuPlessis with that championship menality! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/58plBkYZuq
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) August 16, 2024
However, the fact remains that the only time Du Plessis has had to contest a rematch, he has been beaten.
Of course, much time has passed since that shock result in London but it will still offer Strickland some encouragement after their first fight.
Overcoming History
The reality is that rematches are fraught with danger; from complacency to imposter syndrome, the victor is under far more pressure as the contender has nothing to lose.
Hardened champions find a way to muster the energy to see off a rival for a second time while those with weaker temperaments often succumb to the herculean task of proving themselves again. We’ll soon find out which category Du Plessis falls into.
