MMA betting tips: Dricus Du Plessis to stop Sean Strickland late and end their rivalry emphatically

On Sunday, February 9, at 3 am, MMA fans will witness a heated rivalry between Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland reach its climax in a highly anticipated rematch.

Sports News Blitz writer Niall Togher breaks down what to expect from this explosive showdown.

A high-stakes rematch in Sydney

The UFC’s middleweight championship rematch between Du Plessis and Strickland goes down this weekend at UFC 312 in Sydney, Australia.

Their initial fight took place at UFC 297 Du Plessis ended the brief title reign of the American fighter.

However, the close and competitive nature of the contest made the rematch necessary for the well-being of the division.

In the first fight, Rounds 1 and 5 are agreed to be Strickland’s, with Round 4 being a clear Du Plessis round.

Rounds 2 and 3 are where it got controversial.

These rounds were very close, and neither fighter could have complained if the judges saw either of those rounds in favour of their opponent.

In the end, Du Plessis won the split decision and became the first-ever South African UFC champion.

Momentum heading into the rematch

Since their first encounter, they have both had a fight in the meantime which they both won.

The 31-year-old defended the title against former champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, securing a 4th-round submission in which he hurt Adesanya on the feet before snatching up his neck on the ground.

Strickland, meanwhile, rebounded with a decision win over Paulo Costa at UFC 302.

While it was a clear victory for the former champion, the fight itself was lacklustre and largely forgettable for MMA fans.

The momentum of a champion cannot be underestimated, and Du Plessis certainly has that after defeating Adesanya in the fashion that he did.

Going into this matchup, it would seem Du Plessis has more ways to win.

He has already proven he can outpoint Strickland over five rounds, but he also poses a serious submission threat, has explosive takedowns, and possesses the kind of thudding power that can trouble anyone at 185 pounds.

In their first fight, Du Plessis secured six takedowns - an avenue he may look to exploit again.

However, Strickland did well to work his way back to his feet without taking significant damage that would have swayed the judges more decisively.

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Strickland’s Game Plan vs. Du Plessis’ Power

Everyone knows what Strickland’s game plan will be going into this fight, but finding success against this style has proven a tricky proposition for most in recent years.

Defensively, the American will rely on his signature ‘Philly shell’ guard, checking most leg kicks while looking to control the distance with his jab and teep kick.

When the opportunity presents itself, he’ll mix in his looping right hand to keep Du Plessis honest.

Optics are something that may not favour Strickland going into this matchup if it goes to a decision again.

The nature of Strickland’s striking, as previously mentioned, is heavily focused on the jab, whereas Du Plessis’ shots appear to have a bigger impact when they land.

Even if Du Plessis doesn’t match Strickland’s output, he may not need to - his power and aggression could be enough to steal the tight rounds that are likely to come.

His kicks to the body also provide useful variety when it comes to scoring the contest instead of Strickland’s very boxing-heavy approach.

The South African may use these body kicks again to set up a head kick on Strickland and this could be something to watch out for.

Both fighters have unique styles that are difficult to replicate in sparring, and with 25 minutes of experience against each other, this rematch could deliver an even better fight than their first encounter.

With all due respect to Strickland, it feels like his defining moment came when he shocked the world by dethroning Adesanya.

His best chance to beat Du Plessis may have been in their first fight when the South African had never been into a fourth round in his professional career.

Now, Du Plessis has experience going five rounds if needed and the younger champion has consolidated his position at the top of the middleweight division.

The rematch may start with the same tight kickboxing exchanges, but this time, expect Du Plessis to land one of his thudding hooks to stumble Strickland and secure a TKO finish.

Final Verdict

Fighter to win: Dricus Du Plessis

Method: TKO

Round: 3

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