Check out who we like for Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2 below.
UFC 312 is here, and we can't wait for Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2! It'll be interesting to see if Du Plessis can beat Strickland for the second straight time. Most experts think that Strickland has to utilize more kicks this time around if he wants to have a chance at the upset.
Our MMA insider chimes in with his 3 best bets for Saturday, February 8. This event should be loads of fun! Good luck and enjoy the action!
Main Event Play: Dricus Du Plessis by Decision (+150)
Much like their 1st fight, we expect this one to go the distance. Most Strickland fights have ended in a decision. In fact, only 17 of Strickland’s 35 fights have been finishes.
In this rematch, Strickland is not going to be able to make the proper adjustments to defense Du Plessis’s erratic style. We expect Strickland to try and push the pace and put pressure of Dricus early in the fight which will gas him later in the championship rounds.
This is obviously a revenge spot for Strickland, but he's nowhere near the caliber of fighter that Du Plessis is. Look for DDP to set the pace early and for him to outlast Strickland in a tight one. We like the plus money on DDP to win by decision.
Main Card Top Play: Weili Zhang (+100)
Tatiana Suarez is undefeated at 11-0 and is the new darling in the division. And while here 1st round submission of Alexa Grasso was impressive, the rest of her bouts have not been against top notch competition.
On the other hand, Weili has been fighting only top-level competition for the better part of 4 years. Outside of her 2 fights with Thug Rose and her initial loss to start her career, Weili has been absolutely dominate.
We believe that she will put Tatiana in her place and knock her down a peg in this matchup. According to our numbers, Zhang should have been priced at around a -120 favorite, so we'll gladly sign up for this price at even money.
Top Underdog Play: Jimmy Crute (+136)
Jimmy has lost 3 of his last 4 fights with 1 no decision mixed in there. He now faces the 12-2 Rodolfo Bellato who has won his last 4 fights which include back-to-back TKO/KO wins.
This price seems a bit off to us and us always like backing short dogs who are on a 3-fight losing streak and this one fit that bill. We expect Crute to fight like his UFC status depends on the outcome and grind out a win here.
Other Leans for All Remaining Fights:
Tallison Teixeira (-135)
Jack Jenkins (+190)
Aleksandre Topuria (-400)
Kevin Jousset (-250)
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Bill Christy is a seasoned bettor who operates his own handicapping business. As a senior writer, Bill provides in-depth analysis and identifies edges across several sports at EatWatchBet, including the NFL, CFB, NBA, CBB, and UFC.
