{"id":326546,"date":"2025-02-06T14:49:19","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T19:49:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cms.northstargaming.ca\/admin\/nsgcms\/?p=326546"},"modified":"2025-02-06T14:49:19","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T19:49:19","slug":"ufc-312-predictions-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms.northstargaming.ca\/admin\/nsgcms\/ufc-312-predictions-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"UFC 312 predictions and best bet: Expect a finish in Du Plessis vs. Strickland"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland meet for a second time, again with the middleweight belt on the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pre-fight narrative:<\/strong> Du Plessis won the first meeting via split decision at UFC 297 in Toronto just over a year ago. I expect fireworks in the main event and am betting on a finish at plus money. In the prelims, back Colby Thicknesse to make his UFC debut in style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out my UFC 312 predictions for the Feb. 8 event in Sydney, Australia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

UFC 312 predictions overview<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Click link to add selection to betslip. Note: Lines have changed\/market no longer available if grey.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

UFC 312 predictions<\/strong><\/td>Odds<\/strong><\/td>Bet now \u2b07\ufe0f<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Du Plessis vs. Strickland to not go the distance<\/td>+133<\/td>Add to betslip<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Colby Thicknesse to win<\/td>+295<\/td>Add to betslip<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

UFC picks made at 1:30 p.m. ET on 02\/06\/25.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go to full UFC 312 betting markets<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

UFC 312 predictions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Best Bet: Du Plessis vs. Strickland to not go the distance (+133)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Torontonians were treated to a show when Du Plessis and Strickland first touched gloves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Five closely contested rounds resulted in Du Plessis winning by a split decision, ending the South African’s three-fight finish streak. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I doubt Du Plessis cared, though, as he ascended the middleweight division for the first time. He also was somewhat lucky to get to the judge’s table after absorbing a whopping 157 significant strikes to the head, per UFC.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strickland lacks elite finishing power but certainly gets his licks in. There’s an off-chance the American can finish Du Plessis, whose last loss was via KO way back in 2018. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I’m more keyed on Du Plessis winning via finish. You can bet on that at +205<\/a> but I’ll opt for a little more safety by taking the fight to not go the distance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The South African is on a 10-fight win streak and eight of those have come via finish (five KOs, three submissions). He most recently submitted MMA legend Israel Adesanya with a neck crank at UFC 305.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strickland’s takedown defence was shaky in the first meeting \u2014 Du Plessis landed six on him at UFC 297 \u2014 and I’m bullish on Du Plessis’ submission game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This seems like a good spot for the champion to make a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key stat:<\/strong> Du Plessis has fought 24 times and only two of those fights have gone to decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quick pick<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Thicknesse to win (+295):<\/strong> Ilia Topuria, the current UFC featherweight champion, put his family’s name on the map with a pristine 16-0 record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now his older brother, Aleksandre, is in the promotion and looking for blood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The El Conquistador” owns a 5-1 MMA record and has won three straight fights via first-round finish. So why am I fading him?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, Aleksandre has only fought three times since 2015 and I feel his odds are largely hype-driven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His opponent, Thicknesse, is a perfect 7-0 with an exceptional ground game. The Australian went 3-0 in 2024 and won his last two fights via first-round finish (ground and pound, rear-naked choke).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He’s in form, is fighting at home, and is teammates with Alexander Volkanovski. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There isn’t a ton of tape on either of these guys, so I’ll take the plunge with Thicknesse at monster +295 odds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland meet for a second time, again with the middleweight belt on the line. The pre-fight narrative: Du Plessis won the first meeting via split decision at UFC 297 in Toronto just over a year ago. I expect fireworks in the main event and am betting on a finish at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":326585,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sidebar_plugin_meta_block_field":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[63],"tags":[141],"class_list":["post-326546","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ufc","tag-ufc"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nUFC 312 predictions and best bet | NorthStar Bets<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Check out our UFC 312 predictions for Feb. 8. 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