<p>Aussie fight fans it’s time to start getting excited,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/ufc/predictions/ufc-312-betting-tips">UFC 312</a>, which will take place in Sydney, is just days away.</p> <p>The UFC coming Down Under is always a treat, let alone when it’s headlined by a fight of this magnitude.</p> <p>They don’t come much bigger than Dricus Du Plessis vs Sean Strickland, and that’s exactly what everyone at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena will be treated to come Sunday.</p> <p>To add extra spice to what is sure to be an already explosive encounter, this is not the first time these two octagon assassins have met.</p> <p>Oh no, this is the rematch. They’re playing for keeps too. Yep, Du Plessis vs Strickland 2 is for the middleweight strap.</p> <p>With so much on the line, this is a fight that you simply can’t miss, no matter where you are in the world.</p> <p>For the latest analysis, odds, stats and more for the headline fight of UFC 312, check out our Du Plessis vs Strickland preview and prediction below.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Du Plessis vs Strickland Preview &amp; Prediction</h2>

<p>After Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland’s first fight back at UFC 297 proved to be an absolute barnburner, we're expecting nothing less from the rematch.</p> <p>Since their first match-up, in which Du Plessis dethroned Strickland and took the middleweight title, the South African has gone on to defend his belt against Israel Adesanya.</p> <p>That fight really showcased Du Plessis' team’s ability to tailor their approach to specific opponents, as well as Dricus’ own ability to then put that specific strategy into practice.</p> <p>In that win, Du Plessis showed more patience as well as respect for Israel's striking, alongside a contained but aggressive disposition. He also expertly weaponized his cardio and mixed in all the different facets of his game.</p> <p>This allowed him to sting Issy on the feet before finding the finish on the floor, becoming the first man to ever submit Adesanya.</p> <p>On the other side of the octagon post their first fight, Strickland went on to defeat Paulo Costa in a split decision result, which likely should have been unanimous.</p> <p>In that clash he was able to implement the usual Strickland game plan: pressure, a high volume jabs, teeps and tricky boxing defence with his trademark variation of the Philly Shell.</p> <p>This fight will likely come down to who has adapted and improved more since their first meeting and for us the answer to that question is Dricus Du Plessis.</p> <p>Stickland isn't necessarily a one-trick pony, as he does possess some underrated grappling which gets very underutilised, however, he has shown an inability to adapt throughout fights at times.</p> <p>He’s very prone to sticking to his gameplan, overly so. For example, the Strickland that beat up Imavov and the one that beat Issy fought very similar fights. Oh yeah and if you didn’t already realise, Strickland is completely nuts.</p> <p>Du Plessis on the other hand, has shown an ability to tweak his approach time and time again in the octagon. Even doing so during his last fight with Sean.</p> <p>After losing the first round due to Strickland’s highly active, stiff jab and leg kicks, Dricus gradually raised the volume, pressure and feints throughout the next few rounds, before eventually mixed in his wrestling too.</p> <p>Even if that wasn’t being done with the intention of keeping Sean down, it continually kept him, guessing and served as an excellent rhythm breaker</p> <p>The question still remains, how do we see this fight going? Well, we envision that Strickland will likely stick to his straight shots, looking to unload jabs, crosses, 1-2's, teeps and then mix in his ever-dangerous leg kicks too.</p> <p>Although it's not in his best interest, we may see Sean plant his feet a little more and engage in more direct fire fights with Du Plessis from close range to garner more respect and slow down his opponents forward pressure.</p> <p>On the other hand, Dricus will continue to try and keep Strickland on the back foot, utilising a range of leg, body and high kicks alongside his jab and the more looping shots that he's known for.</p> <p>We expect him to continue mixing in his ever-present grappling threat too and potentially look to establish more dominant positions on the ground and ultimately hunt a submission.</p> <p>Both guys have strong cardio and excellent chins, so we expect this one to go the distance. When the dust, sweat and blood settles however, we expect Dricus Du Plessis to be the one getting his hand raised yet again.</p> <p><strong>Prediction: </strong>Dricus Du Plessis.</p> <p><strong>Method of victory betting tip: </strong>Unanimous decision.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Dricus Du Plessis vs Sean Strickland Stats</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Dricus Du Plessis Stats</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Height:</strong> 1.85m.</p> <p><strong>Reach: </strong>76 inches.</p> <p><strong>Weight: </strong>83.9kg.</p> <p><strong>Age:</strong> 31.</p> <p><strong>Fighting style: </strong>MMA.</p> <p><strong>Record:</strong> 22-2-0.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Sean Strickland Stats</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Height:</strong> 1.85m.</p> <p><strong>Reach: </strong>76 inches.</p> <p><strong>Weight: </strong>83.9kg.</p> <p><strong>Age: </strong>33.</p> <p><strong>Fighting style: </strong>MMA.</p> <p><strong>Record: </strong>29-6-0.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>How to Watch Du Plessis vs Strickland 2</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>In Australia, the UFC streams on the UFC Fight Pass. This subscription allows fight fans Down Under to soak up all the action.</p> <p>Pay-per-view UFC events as well as other UFC events are also available in Australia on streaming service Kayo Sports. You can watch Du Plessis vs Strickland 2 in Australia on either of these platforms.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Du Plessis vs Strickland Date and Time</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Date: </strong>Sunday, February 9, 2025.</p> <p><strong>Start time:</strong> Approximately 4pm AEDT.</p> <p><strong>Location:</strong> Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Australia.</p>