We've got a rematch at UFC 312, and the Strickland vs Du Plessis odds favor the champion to retain his middleweight belt.
Dricus Du Plessis is a -210 favorite over Sean Strickland (+162 underdog) at FanDuel ahead of their rematch in Sydney, Australia on Feb. 8. The ex-champ Strickland lost his belt in a narrow split-decision loss to the South African in early 2024.
Strickland vs Du Plessis 2 Betting Odds
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Sean Strickland | +162 |
| Dricus Du Plessis | -210 |
Odds as of Feb. 7
Our odds calculator determined Du Plessis' -210 odds give him a 67.74% implied chance of winning, and a $100 bet pays out $147.62. Strickland's +162 odds give him a 38.17% implied chance, and a $100 bet pays out $262.
How to Bet Du Plessis
Du Plessis continues to defy expectations during his UFC middleweight title reign. The South African is undefeated and cemented himself as a world-class fighter in his submission win over legend Israel Adesanya. In that fight, DDP crossed up Adesanya with awkward entries, pushed the ex-champ backward, and won all scramble and takedown exchanges to emerge in a dominant position.
Nobody has been able to solve Du Plessis, including Strickland at UFC 297. Strickland used his blistering jab in that fight, while DDP opted for more clinch work and bigger punches. Ultimately, both guys were battered, but DDP won the decision, likely due to control time.
Thankfully, the Strickland vs Du Plessis odds are close for the rematch. DDP bettors can happily take him to win outright, as that's the best play. Strickland is tough to finish, and we could see another back-and-forth chess match as both fighters try to crack each other's awkward styles at UFC 312.
How To Bet Strickland
You can bet Strickland to win outright, but I'd be very surprised if he scored a finish. "Tarzan" fights safely and shells up very well. He'll use his jab to rack up damage, but he seldom opens up with big combos or kicks. Rewatch his fight vs Paulo Costa at UFC 302 and tell me if that guy is creative enough to beat Du Plessis. While he can wrestle, we saw DDP get the better of him in that department at UFC 297.
Maybe Strickland wins a point fight or busts Dricus open again with straight punches. Still, he likely won't finish the champ, so my best bet for this side is the underdog Strickland to win by decision.
Strickland vs Du Plessis Pick
Du Plessis is hitting his peak in confidence and technicality. He now boasts wins over Adesanya and Robert Whittaker, making a rematch against Strickland less daunting. I think -210 is a fair price for Du Plessis, and I'll be on that with a few units.
Other than that, the OVERs will merit a big bet, but I'll wait until prop odds are out. I have Du Plessis ML in a parlay, but I'll likely double down with a solo SGP involving Dricus ML + OVER 2.5 Rounds to move the odds slightly in Du Plessis' favor.
