Robert Whittaker vs Dricus Du Plessis 7/5/2023 Picks, Analysis and Previews
On Saturday, July 8, 2023, Robert Whittaker and Dricus Du Plessis will square off at UFC 290. Whittaker is listed at -400 on the moneyline, while Plessis is at +290. The winner of this match will be the UFC Middleweight champion. The duel will take place as a part of UFC 290. A crack at the UFC Middleweight championship will be given to the winner on July 8.
Robert “The Reaper” Whittaker enters the ring with a 25-6-0 record. The 32-year-old is 6’0″ tall and weighs 185 pounds. The reach of the conventional fighter is 73″. Dricus “Stillknocks” Du Plessis weighs 185 pounds and is 6’1″. The switch fighter enters the ring with a 19-2-0 record. The 29-year-old possesses a 76-inch arm span. Robert Whittaker connects on 4.48 significant strikes per minute, whereas Dricus Du Plessis connects on 6.72 significant strikes per minute. Whittaker succeeds with 42% of the crucial blows he attempts, whereas Du Plessis succeeds with 55%. “The Reaper” receives 3.26 major strikes per minute in the Octagon, while “Stillknocks” deflects 3.73. Whittaker also manages to evade 61% of the big blows his opponents aim at him, while Du Plessis can stop 53%.
Robert Whittaker is the less proficient grappler in takedowns, scoring one 0.82 times every three rounds. Whittaker completes takedowns on 37% of his attempts while blocking 84% of all takedowns made by his adversaries. Du Plessis completes 47% of his takedown attempts while thwarting 50% of those made against him. When it comes to submissions, Whittaker is not as proficient a technician as Du Plessis, aiming for 0.7 submissions each third.
The last time he stepped into the Octagon, Robert Whittaker faced Marvin Vettori. He won via unanimous decision in round 3. 38 of the 121 total blows Vettori delivered throughout that battle connected. Whittaker prevailed in this battle by landing 74 of 166 blows. Vettori made 33 out of 116 significant strikes, giving him a 28% rate. He ultimately connected with 15 of his 94 big-head-directed hits. Whittaker ultimately connected with 74 of 166 critical blows he delivered, landing 44% on the cage’s opposing side. He had 49 of 138 critical hits that were aimed at the head. Vettori connected on all critical blows, and Whittaker nailed 97% at a distance.
Robert Whittaker vs Dricus Du Plessis 7/5/2023 Picks, Analysis and Previews
Dricus Du Plessis defeated Derek Brunson in his final bout inside the Octagon with punches from the guard’s head in round two. Plessis hit on 74% of his major distance strokes, whereas Brunson ultimately connected on 81% of those he attempted. Plessis ultimately succeeded with 71 of 115 big blows or 61% of his attempts. Out of 97 noteworthy headshots, he connected with 55 of them. In that fight, Brunson hit on 37 of 84 crucial swings. He ultimately connected on 27-71 of those essential hits with the head. Regarding the blows he launched during this match, Plessis connected on 84 of 132 of his attempts, compared to Brunson’s 43 of 90 landings.
Former Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) and Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki (KSW) champion Dricus du Plessis has a 19-2 overall record. He’s 5-0 with four finishes since joining the UFC in 2020, which helped him qualify for the UFC Middleweight championship eliminator.
He isn’t widely regarded as good enough to contend for the crown. Although he has defeated all his UFC opponents thus far, some experts think he was fortunate in most of those contests. The Whittaker vs. du Plessis battle on Saturday will undoubtedly be the most complex challenge the South African fighter has ever encountered because his next opponent is 13-2 in the top MMA promotion in the world.
Robert Whittaker vs. Dricus Du Plessis. In recent memory, one of the biggest surprises in the middleweight category would occur if Dricus du Plessis prevailed in this contest. We must choose Robert Whittaker because he is far superior to him regarding fighting.
Prediction: Robert Whittaker to win
Location: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
Date: Saturday, July 08, 2023
Main Card: 10:00 PM ET
Prelims: 8:00 PM ET
Watch on: ESPN and ESPN+
