The Israel Adesanya vs. Dricus Du Plessis betting odds are out at top UFC betting sites! To say there’s no love lost between these two, is an understatement.
Du Plessis will defend his middleweight title against Adesanya, the former two-time champion, at UFC 305 on August 18, 2024. The bout will take place in Perth, Australia. Given that the Nigerian-born Adesanya grew up in New Zealand, this is essentially a home game for him.
See what I think about the Adesanya vs. Du Plessis odds, how the fighters stack up against one another, and predictions below!
Israel Adesanya vs. Dricus Du Plessis Betting Odds
The following Adesanya vs. Du Plessis odds are courtesy of BetUS.
- Israel Adesanya (-130)
- Dricus Du Plessis (-110)
Adesanya is given a slight edge by online sportsbooks in the early lines. The -130 odds give Adesanya a 56.5% implied probability of winning this match.
Du Plessis has a 52.4% implied probability of retaining the title, so this is shaping up to be a very close fight. Keep an eye on BetUS for any line movements, however, as they should move one way or the other ahead of UFC 305 on August 18. In my opinion, Adesanya will be favored more heavily by fight night, especially as he’s more known to the public.
To find the Adesanya vs. Du Plessis odds, head to BetUS > Sportsbook > Martial Arts > Israel Adesanya Specials > Israel Adesanya vs. Dricus Du Plessis – Early Line.
Israel Adesanya Analysis
Israel Adesanya (24-3), who turns 35 on July 22, ruled over the UFC’s middleweight division from April 2019 to November 2022. He is wildly charismatic and one of the most well-known fighters in the UFC. He won his first 20 professional MMA fights before moving up in weight to challenge then 205-pound champion Jan Blachowicz. Adesanya couldn’t overcome the size disadvantage that night on March 6, 2021, losing by unanimous decision.
Adesanya has a lot to prove after a couple of recent losses. He took a break from fighting to recharge his batteries. He had been very active with nine fights during April 2019 and November 2022, so we should see a well-rested and motivated “Last Stylebender” at UFC 305. Adesanya is well-deserving of his slight edge at the best sports betting sites.
Fighter Record and Recent Form
- September 10, 2023 – LOSS Sean Strickland (UD)
- April 8, 2023 – WIN Alex Pereira (KO)
- November 12, 2022 – LOSS Alex Pereira (TKO)
- July 2, 2022 – WIN Jared Cannonier (UD)
- February 12, 2022 – WIN Robert Whittaker (UD)
Adesanya looked uncharacteristically hesitant in losing the belt to Sean Strickland in September 2023 in one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. But he looked outstanding in reclaiming the belt from his rival, Alex Pereira, in April 2023,
A year ago I conquered a titan 🗿
This saga has strengthened my spirit and I am forever grateful. All you need is one shot in life, don’t throw and hope…you aim and FIRE!!!
💘💘💘❤️🔥 #UFC300 #cope pic.twitter.com/oEDXDkRo3b— Israel Adesanya (@stylebender) April 10, 2024
Adesanya was winning his first fight with Pereira (who also beat Adesanya twice in kickboxing) until he was caught in the fifth round by a series of blows.
Adesanya will be plenty motivated for this fight, as he got into the octagon with Du Plessis at UFC 290. The two had a heated faceoff following Du Plessis’ win over Robert Whittaker. They were supposed to fight at UFC 293, but Du Plessis was injured. Then Adesanya lost the belt to Strickland.
Fighter Style
Adesanya is a championship-winning kickboxer who has also won titles in boxing in New Zealand. His style is very reminiscent of former middleweight king Anderson Silva, Adesanya’s idol who he defeated at UFC 234. He likes to keep his opponents at range and catch them on the counter with extremely accurate punches and kicks.
Adesanya also mixed in some takedowns in the first Pereira fight, showing a more rounded MMA game. You’ll never mistake Adesanya for a grappler like Khabib Nurmagomedov. But if he can mix in the threat of a takedown, he’ll be much more dangerous standing up.
Physical Condition
Adesanya hasn’t fought since September 2023, so he should be healthy. The UFC has had a run of bad luck with fighters getting injured ahead of their matches, so fingers crossed that Adesanya makes it to August.
Overall, Adesanya has great conditioning and can go five rounds easily. He has more than enough power in his strikes with 16 wins by KO orTKO. Adesanya has been knocked out once, by Pereira, who is known for his power and is the current 205-pound champion.
But Adesanya went five rounds with hard hitters like Yoel Romero and Jared Cannonier, so his chin is fine.
Dricus Du Plessis Analysis
Dricus Du Plessis (21-2) battled from South Africa through Europe to get to the UFC. He made his promotional debut in October 2020 and quickly made it to the pay-per-view cards.
Du Plessis flew under the radar due to the pandemic for a couple years, until a submission win over Darren Till in December 2022. It’s been nothing but full steam ahead from “Stillknocks” since then, culminating in his win over Strickland at UFC 297 in January. The two had a short brawl at UFC 296, a month before their fight.
Fighter Record and Recent Form
- January 20, 2024 – WIN Sean Strickland (SD)
- July 8, 2023 — WIN Robert Whittaker (TKO)
- March 4, 2023 – WIN Derek Brunson (TKO)
- December 10, 2022 – WIN Darren Till (SUB)
- July 2, 2022 – WIN Brad Tavares (UD)
The Till win put Du Plessis’s name out there, and then he ran through Derek Brunson to the point that Brunson’s corner threw in the towel. But his TKO win over former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker brought Du Plessis to another level. Whittaker is known for being one of the toughest men in MMA, but Du Plessis made short work on him to get the Strickland fight.
There are some that argue Strickland won in a very close fight, and he could have probably argued for a rematch. But given the heat that Du Plessis has with Adesanya, and the ability to sell out RAC Arena in Perth was just too much for the UFC to pass up.
Fighter Style
Du Plessis is extremely well-rounded as he grew up training in judo, wrestling, and kickboxing. He likes to pressure his opponent, but Du Plessis fought a patient fight against Strickland, who also likes to bring the pressure.
Du Plessis’ versatility is shown by his finishes. He has nine KO/TKO wins and 10 by submission. He has also shown his grappling abilities by submitting an entire Gracie Barra team in a grappling event. Du Plessis has proven to be comfortable wherever the fight goes. The champion is a dangerous underdog at offshore sportsbooks.
Physical Condition
Du Plessis prefers to finish fights, but the Strickland bout showed that he could take big shots and last five rounds in a championship fight. He has been stopped twice, in 2014 and 2018. But Du Plessis is a much better fighter now and, like Adesanya, he just needs to stay healthy in training for this fight.
Adesanya vs. Du Plessis Prediction and Betting Pick
The Israel Adesanya vs. Dricus Du Plessis betting odds forecast a close match. This has the potential to be the “Fight of the Year,” especially given the hatred between the two from their UFC 290 post-match encounter.
Both fighters are great kickboxers, but I think the edge goes to Adesanya standing up. He has a 4-inch reach advantage over Du Plessis, and he’ll try to keep the champion at his range. Meanwhile, Du Plessis has the edge on the ground. He’ll have to battle through Adesanya’s takedown defense. The former champion has defended 78% of takedown attempts against him.
A bet on Du Plessis wouldn’t be a bad wager at all, and there’s a little more value there. I think Du Plessis will be plus money by the time the bell rings on August 18. However, I won’t be betting on the South African.
I think Adesanya will be extremely motivated to take the belt back. I’m backing Adesanya at online sports betting sites to win via unanimous decision in a fight that goes the full 25 minutes.
Where to Bet on Israel Adesanya vs. Dricus Du Plessis
The best site for betting on Adesanya vs. Du Plessis odds is BetUS, where you’ll find the early lines for this match. There will be more betting props as we get closer to fight night.
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