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Strickland brings anarchy to UFC 312 | 08:17
American Sean Strickland insists only a bloody mix of “optics” and official error cost him UFC middleweight gold against Dricus du Plessis – but there is barely a punter anywhere in Australia who agrees.
UFC 312: Du Plessis v Strickland 2 | SUN 9 FEB | UFC middleweight king Dricus du Plessis is back Down Under for yet another title defence, with the South African set to face Sean Strickland in a blockbuster UFC 312 headliner in Sydney. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. Main Event on Kayo Sports and Foxtel is the exclusive home of UFC Pay-Per-View.
Only days after du Plessis outlined his plans to take a combined $2 million from rap megastar Drake, Fox Sports Australia can reveal a huge betting plunge has been placed on the UFC middleweight king to retain via KO.
Incredibly, over 95% of all money wagered so far is on South Africa’s fight star to retain his title – with almost all punters also agreeing it will come via knockout.
Speaking overnight about Sunday’s UFC 312 blockbuster, a TAB spokesperson described the lopsided wagering as particularly “unusual” for a championship bout – and with Strickland now being wound out towards $3.
Only last week, du Plessis suggested to Fox Sports Australia he was again hoping to be counted out by Drake, who has already wagered – and lost – a combined $1.76 million on the new champ.
That run includes the Canadian incorrectly betting US$700,000 on Strickland against du Plessis at UFC 297, and then doubling down with a US$400,000 bet on Israel Adesanya to beat the same man at UFC 305 in Perth.
Yet despite the money running heavily against him, Strickland is still insisting that he should have been declared a winner the first time around against DDP — stressing judges gave his opponent the split decision victory after being swayed by both optics and a bloody cut in the fourth, which appeared to be caused by an accidental headbutt.
Regardless, Aussie punters aren’t buying it, with TAB official Rohan Welsh stating, currently, all money is running for $1.50 favourite du Plessis.
Strickland, meanwhile, is friendless at $2.60.
“And the weight of money going in one direction for a fight of this magnitude, it’s unusual,” Welsh admitted.
“Especially with the value on offer for Strickland.
“But it’s one-way traffic from TAB punters at the moment with close to 97% of the total outlays with Du Plessis.
“We’ll usually see the larger bets come through as we get closer to the bout and things could swing with Strickland now out to $2.60.
“But it’s a pretty emphatic statement from punters so far.”
Welsh said that after taking multiple $1000 bets on du Plessis at $1.80 in December, the champ had been tightened significantly.
Regardless, there has recently been a $4800 outlay at $1.53 and a $6000 one at $1.50.
Welsh also revealed Australians aren’t expecting the rematch to go all five rounds.
“Punters think Du Plessis will be able to hit the showers early,” he said.
“The TAB is offering a ‘Will The Fight Go The Distance’ market and we’re yet to take a bite on the battle lasting five full rounds.
“And that’s despite that result being the favourite option at $1.58, compared to $2.30 for an early ending.”
He added that, in the ‘Round/Method of Defeat’ market, betting was evenly split by a KO/DQ in either the second or third.
Strickland, meanwhile, has long claimed he should have been awarded victory in the first fight with du Plessis, and said this week there were a variety of factors that conspired against him – most notably the claret which resulted from that clash of heads.
“That cut, it really opened up and there was a lot of blood,” he recounted, speaking with Fox Sports Australia on Tuesday. “I think that swayed the judges.
“And Dricus, he fights hard too.
“But if you rewatch the bout in slow motion, how many of those punches land? How many don’t?
“In the gym, we call it ‘optics’.
“Like the other day, I was watching one of our boys spar against this savage and afterwards, I went up to him and said, ‘in my opinion you lost’.
“He said ‘What do you mean?’.
“I said ‘Well, I know you hit him more, landed more significant strikes, and he wasn’t really hitting you … but the optics of it was him coming forward and throwing big haymakers’.
“I don’t agree with it, but a lot of times optics sway fights.
“And in that first fight with Dricus, it was his forward pressure, his momentum.
“It’s hard because the guy is going full send.”
Of course, there have also been suggestions Strickland simply ran afoul of the infamous ‘Drake Curse’ – which has seen the singer, and keen sports punter, lose wagers on everyone from Jake Paul, Jorge Masvidal and Francis Ngannou to Arsenal, Duke and the New York Rangers.
Betting on three Adesanya fights alone has cost Drake an estimated $5.6 million.
But as for him now switching camps, and joining the Aussie betting plunge on DDP?
“Oh, I really don’t know,” the champ said.
“But the guy should’ve learned his lesson by now.
“If not though … it’s easier for me than Drake.”
And as for any concerns about the ‘curse’ being real should Drake finally choose to bet on the champ against Strickland?
“No, I’m not superstitious,” du Plessis shrugged.
“And if Drake should bet on me, I can make him some money.
“But I’d prefer him not to.
“Drake, keep betting on my opponents.”
