Dricus du Plessis fights in a way that is not pretty, but effective. He can use this to his advantage against Sean Strickland at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 312.
It surprised some observers when Dricus du Plessis won by a split decision over Sean Strickland in their last fight. However, du Plessis proved with his subsequent win over Israel Adesanya that it was no coincidence. He can thus fancy his chances when he faces Strickland again in February 2025.
Du Plessis’ win over Adesanya came by submission in the fourth round. However, he showed that he was ready to compete if the fight came to a decision rather than being finished before five rounds.
What Dricus du Plessis’ Win Over Adesanya Proved
At times, it appeared that du Plessis was struggling in the fight against Adesanya at UFC 305. However, on the scorecard, he was winning heading into the fourth round.
Two of the three judges had du Plessis up 29-28 heading into the fourth round. One of them, Ben Cartlidge, had Adesanya ahead, with 29-28.
As was the case with the Strickland fight earlier in 2024, du Plessis appeared to some observers to be losing but was actually ahead.
This showed that even when one might be tempted to count him out, du Plessis has an unconventional way of staying in control of fights.
Why Du Plessis Can Beat Strickland Again
With momentum behind him, du Plessis has a superb chance to beat Strickland again. The American fighter claimed a split decision win over Paulo Costa at UFC 302.
However, du Plessis has proven time and time again that he is far from a flash in the pan. Rather, he is a champion who has earned his stripes beating the toughest fighters in the division.
His last three fights have seen him beat three of the greatest middleweights of all time – Robert Whittaker, Strickland and Israel Adesanya.
Although he lost two fights before he entered the UFC, du Plessis is undefeated since earning his first contract.
While he was the underdog the first time he fought Strickland, he has a much stronger chance of success now that he has done it once before and proved it was far from coincidence.
Stay tuned to Easybet for our odds as UFC 311 and UFC 312 approach.
