UFC 297: Strickland vs. Du Plessis Odds See Plenty of Frisky Underdogs
Four of the Five UFC 297 Fights Feature Relatively Tight Lines
UFC 297 Main Card is as Competitive as PPVs Get
Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis previously met in Abu Dhabi for UFC 294 back in October. However, the fight was called off following an accidental illegal knee strike from Strickland. The two have since traded barbs online and will now headline this Saturday to settle the score.
If the Strickland vs Du Plessis odds are any indication, we should expect a violent finish courtesy of Strickland. But Du Plessis remains a dangerous underdog.
UFC 297: Strickland vs Du Plessis Main Card
Day/Time:
Location: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
TV & Live Stream: Pay-per-view
Strickland and Du Plessis is a Battle of Dogs
If we told you at this time last year that Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis would be fighting for the middleweight title, you’d call us crazy. But here we are. Both pulled off big upsets with Strickland dethroning Israel Adesanya as a +540 underdog while Du Plessis finished former champ Robert Whittaker at +300. These underdogs now meet for the title.
In this bout, the Strickland vs Du Plessis odds are close: Strickland is favored at -140 with the comeback on Du Plessis at +110. The champion is 5-2 when he’s around the -150 to +110 range as a UFC fighter. Du Plessis, on the other hand, is an underdog for only the second time.
These dogs also have beef between them, and that could play a role here. Strickland was incensed when Du Plessis brought up his traumatic childhood. This led to Strickland threatening him, “if you bring that sh*t up again, I will f*cking stab you.” Then during UFC 296, Strickland jumped Du Plessis as they sat cageside.
Strickland and Du Plessis may just brawl from the start. And given the latter’s power – four knockouts in six wins – the total is set at just 1.5 rounds (‘over’ at -225). Given this next UFC fight odds, the KO could come from either side.
Can Raquel Pennington Have Her “Rocky” Moment?
The co-main event also features a title fight as Raquel “Rocky” Pennington faces Mayra Bueno Silva for the vacant women’s bantamweight title. Like the main title fight, this is a close one as the UFC 297: Strickland vs Du Plessis odds have Silva favored at just -160. Pennington is the +130 underdog as she looks to do her name justice.
The longtime UFC veteran is 12-5 with the promotion and has fought the who’s who from Holly Holm (twice) to Amanda Nunes. She is 5-5 as an underdog so her backers would be profiting if they bet her each time she is one. But she’s also lost in her only title fight.
Silva is undefeated in the 135-pound UFC weight class. She’s submitted her last three opponents and could do the same to Pennington (+205 on the UFC 297 props). But if Pennington finds a way to neutralize her grappling, Silva could be exposed on the feet.
Either way, this one is expected to go long with the total of 4.5 rounds juiced to go ‘over’ at -125.
Mike Malott Features in UFC 297 Undercard
The UFC 297 fight schedule sees upcoming contenders and local favorites like Mike Malott. At -400, he is the widest favorite of the main card. And with the total set to go under 2.5 rounds at -205, this should be another emphatic finish for him. Magny, the +300 underdog, is into his 32nd UFC fight and is 0-3 in his last three fights as an underdog.
Marc-Andre Barriault is another Canadian on the main card. But unlike Malott, he’s the underdog at +160. Chris Curtis is the favorite at -190. Barriault is 0-4 as an underdog but has won two straight fights while Curtis went winless in 2023.
Movsar Evloev then takes on Arnold Allen in a battle of featherweight contenders. Evloev is the -205 favorite and is undefeated at 17-0 (7-0 in the UFC). Allen’s only loss in the UFC (10-1) came against the former champion, Max Holloway. He’s the underdog for the second straight time at +170 as he and Evloev open the PPV.
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