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Boxing UFC 297 Picks and Predictions, Odds, Stats and Where to Watch
Sean Strickland vs Dricus Du Plessis Prediction
- Prediction: Strickland to Win
- Best Odds: 1.90
- Bookmaker: bet365
- Stakes: 5/10
Odds available on January 18th 2024. Odds may now differ.
The champ puts his belt on the line this weekend against a contender who has been waiting quite some time for his shot and has taken down some very impressive names on the road to here.
Will Strickland make his first successful title defence or will we see the South African crown himself the Middleweight king? We will find out on Saturday night, but here is what we have to say…
In this article:
- Sean Strickland vs Dricus Du Plessis Prediction
- UFC 297 Info
- Sean Strickland Style & Form
- Dricus Du Plessis Style & Form
- Safer Gambling
Sean Strickland vs Dricus Du Plessis Prediction
Sean Strickland came into this one a favourite but they are at even money now at 1.90 odds at bet365. The books have changed their minds and I wouldn’t be surprised if they give Du Plessis an edge heading closer to Saturday.
There is always the possibility that Strickland’s reaction to the press conference causes him to be more aggressive early and get clipped as he did against Pereira. However, I don’t like to form my opinions on such possibilities and like to look at what we have seen so far.
Du Plessis likes to start out aggressively and gets gassed. He looked tired in the 2nd round against Whittaker. Strickland is the opposite. He likes to take his time and let his opponents tire out, before applying pressure and striking volume. He is hard to hit and if Du Plessis can’t get the job done in the 1st round, it’s going to be a long night for him.
- Prediction: Strickland to Win
- Best Odds: 1.90
- Bookmaker: bet365
- Stakes: 5/10
Odds available on January 18th 2024. Odds may now differ.
UFC 297 Info
- Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Arena: Scotiabank Arena
- Date: January 20th 2024.
- Main event: Sean Strickland vs Dricus Du Plessis
Sean Strickland Style & Form
Sean Strickland has to be one of the weirdest champions the UFC has ever had. After getting KOed by Alex Pereira in July 2022, Tarzan takes 5 months off and comes back to face Jared Cannonier. He loses that one by split decision in the main event.
What happened in 2023 was a sight to behold. Just 1 month after the Cannonier fight, Strickland accepts a short-notice fight against one of the best fighters in the division in Nassourdine Imavov… and wins! Following that, the UFC pairs him up against a young and dangerous up-and-coming KO star Abusupiyan Magomedov. Strickland won once again, this time by TKO.
The UFC decided to test him again, this time against the champion and one of the best strikers in the organisation’s history – Israel Adesanya. Strickland won again. His pressure, volume and overall striking defence was more than enough to convince the judges and Strickland was crowned the division champ by unanimous decision on September 10th 2023.
He is known for using simple techniques, pressure and striking volume to wear down opponents and make himself a menace in the octagon. He even managed to knock down Adesnaya with a simple 1-2 combination down the pipe. He doesn’t complicate things too much, it’s all about simple execution and making his opponents fight off the back foot.
Dricus Du Plessis Style & Form
Dricus Du Plessis has been on a roll since joining the UFC in October 2020 and is unbeaten in his 6 fights. He holds an impressive 20-2 MMA record, and his last 3 wins have come via finish.
The first one was a submission against Darren Till at UFC 282 in the 3rd round. Following that, Du Plessis was matched up against Derek Brunson just 3 months later at UFC 285 and won is TKO.
But his most notable win and the best opponent he has faced so far was Robert Whittaker in July 2023. After more than a year off and nose surgery to fix his cardio issues, Dricus Du Plessis came back into the octagon with malicious intent. He finished Whittaker in the second round with punches and earned himself a shot at the title.
As far as his style goes, he has always been a heavy puncher who likes to finish fights before the final bell. He doesn’t feel his opponents out in the early stages of fights, and he can sometimes gas himself out early. He is a bulldozer, and we expect a similar approach in this fight.
SAFER GAMBLING
At bettingexpert, we always take a safe approach to gambling. We’ll never bet more than we can afford or chase losses. For more advice, head to our Safer Gambling hub.
