UFC 312: Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2

[Stat_Collector]

https://www.bestfightodds.com/events/ufc-3617

https://www.bestfightodds.com/events/ufc-3626

UFC 312: Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2 | MMA Event | Tapology

UFC 312 took place Saturday, February 8, 2025 with 12 fights at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. View fight card, video, results, predictions, and news.

www.tapology.com

 

[Guld]

Is there any reason to think that Driscus can't replicate what he already did?
If anything, I thought that he'd have mixed in more wrestling the first time around so that might be a good x-factor going into the next one.
With that being said, it was a typical close/split decision Strickland fight last time, and that makes me wary of going too heavy on either guy.

 

[DalchaLungiambula]

I watched Texiera's last 3 fights (all 4 minutes of them)

He is 6 foot 8, just turned 25, and uses his jab beautifully.

He also has power that is almost Deontay Wilder-esque.

He looked pretty bad in the pocket though in his last fight, and that is where Tafa excels.

-150 seems too long to me.

He's a top 5 HW, probably 2-3 years from now, greenness and unknown cardio/ chin are the potential stumbling blocks!

 

[Stat_Collector]

retape worthy

Jenkins
Tatiana
Strickland
Prado
Nolan
THICKnesse

A lot i never taped before.

 

[sonhow]

Isnt Texiera supposed to be a true high level prospect? And yet he is pretty much even with "king of bums" Tafa? I guess he is pretty inexperienced though.

At first I thought Id be genius getting some excellent odds on Tatiana...and now those odds are basically pick em! And the girl doesnt even fight other than once in blue moon.
I feel like Im switching here. Weili looked beautiful scrambling with Carla. Suarez beat Carla million years ago. Looked okay vs Montana and great vs Andrade. Tho Andrade also was on a bad run. I feel like unless she completely dominates from start she should run out of gas in high scramble fight.

 

[burge13]

Wouldnt feed this card to my dog. Utter garbage, how is this a ppv lol

 

[Thesnake101]

I'm putting all of my hopes and dreams on Thick & Juicy.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

retape worthy

Jenkins
Tatiana
Strickland
Prado
Nolan
THICKnesse

A lot i never taped before.

Good luck finding much on Thicknesse lol. I hate it when Aussies have mainly fought in Hex, you can never find tape.

 

[guesswhoseback]

Park-sub2
Salkilld-dec
Jousett-ko2
Steele-ko2
Thicknese-ko1
Wang-dec
Nolan-dec
Jenkins-dec
Matthews-dec
Bellato-ko2
Texeira-ko1
Suarez-dec
Du plesis-dec

 

[Stat_Collector]

Isnt Texiera supposed to be a true high level prospect? And yet he is pretty much even with "king of bums" Tafa? I guess he is pretty inexperienced though.

At first I thought Id be genius getting some excellent odds on Tatiana...and now those odds are basically pick em! And the girl doesnt even fight other than once in blue moon.
I feel like Im switching here. Weili looked beautiful scrambling with Carla. Suarez beat Carla million years ago. Looked okay vs Montana and great vs Andrade. Tho Andrade also was on a bad run. I feel like unless she completely dominates from start she should run out of gas in high scramble fight.

Give me Tafa at evens. Texiera is green for sure. Very unsafe fighter to pick. Tafa has at least more cage time. Even the fights he lost by decision he gained some veteran experience. Texeira is very inexperience going past round 1, besides the kick boxing match.

I watched Texiera's last 3 fights (all 4 minutes of them)

He is 6 foot 8, just turned 25, and uses his jab beautifully.

He also has power that is almost Deontay Wilder-esque.

He looked pretty bad in the pocket though in his last fight, and that is where Tafa excels.

-150 seems too long to me.

He's a top 5 HW, probably 2-3 years from now, greenness and unknown cardio/ chin are the potential stumbling blocks!

If he had Wilder's power or right hand , he would not have gone to decision with a can in that one kick boxing match, 9 mins with a guy who had been finished under 2 rounds before says he's got average power. Maybe he has solid power, but that isn't enough to ko a Polynesian fighter with a fat head like Tafa.

 

[Stat_Collector]

Good luck finding much on Thicknesse lol. I hate it when Aussies have mainly fought in Hex, you can never find tape.

maybe it's in one of those japanese youku sites? heh

Edit: found 1 fight on ufc fight pass. 2022 vs Kakembo

2 mins in and he got dropped by a teep kick, yikes , i'm not sure i like this one.

 

[DalchaLungiambula]

Give me Tafa at evens. Texiera is green for sure. Very unsafe fighter to pick. Tafa has at least more cage time. Even the fights he lost by decision he gained some veteran experience. Texeira is very inexperience going past round 1, besides the kick boxing match.

If he had Wilder's power or right hand , he would not have gone to decision with a can in that one kick boxing match, 9 mins with a guy who had been finished under 2 rounds before says he's got average power. Maybe he has solid power, but that isn't enough to ko a Polynesian fighter with a fat head like Tafa.

Texeira's ceiling is about 8 times greater than Tafa's though

 

[Stat_Collector]

Texeira's ceiling is about 8 times greater than Tafa's though

Tafa is 31 which is prime age for an mma fighter. 25 is still ironing out the skillset. he also debut in 2021, Tafa at 2017.

You can see in his last fight back in September that he looked green, his timing was off, and he was getting tagged a lot.

I'm just telling you , its a risky fight. never bet on an unproven fighter unless they come from an elite combat sport before mma or they had a long amateur career. 7 fights under r1 , he's barely had time to think in the cage and develop a change in gameplan.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Tafa is 31 which is prime age for an mma fighter. 25 is still ironing out the skillset. he also debut in 2021, Tafa at 2017.

You can see in his last fight back in September that he looked green, his timing was off, and he was getting tagged a lot.

I'm just telling you , its a risky fight. never bet on an unproven fighter unless they come from an elite combat sport before mma or they had a long amateur career. 7 fights under r1 , he's barely had time to think in the cage and develop a change in gameplan.

Only thing to consider with Teixeira is he's a black belt from a pretty legit lineage so he might grapple as Tafa is obviously dog shit at that.

 

[sonhow]

Also while Tafa is experienced for sure his competion level is just awful, period. When Parker Porter looks like a god among men compared to other guys on your winning resume it doest exactly tell me a guy is more proven in this stage. Even by hw standards.

 

[Stat_Collector]

Only thing to consider with Teixeira is he's a black belt from a pretty legit lineage so he might grapple as Tafa is obviously dog shit at that.

Tafa is not as bad as you might remember. Karl williams got at least 5 takedowns stuff, including a sub attempt failed.

Tafa is pretty decent at turning over and getting into turtle position and regaining his feet. karl had to really work to get the fight down by chain wrestling and relentless grit.

Teixera perhaps has the bjj to get a submission, but it's still very unknown. And he's likely not as good at position wrestling to hold Tafa down when Williams loss top ctrl several times, even in round 3 when Tafa should be gassier. And Tafa had Williams hurt badly when he was trying to shoot. If Teixera goes in grappling heavy , i dont think that will be enough or a complete mystery.

I'd probably give him a better chance at maybe catching Tafa with right hand in the later rnds if he manages to bloody him with his jab and force a doctor stoppage.

Again , i'm not saying Texeira cant win, it's a suspect fight. But i have it at dog or pass. he's got a suspect chin, cardio, ground game.

I feel somewhat the same about Kody, Hyun, they both also havent done much yet in terms of beating solid competition, they all make bad favorites.

 

[DalchaLungiambula]

Texeira is a super prospect matched with a bum.

* One of the youngest heavyweights to ever get signed by the UFC
* 2nd tallest fighter to ever be signed by the UFC
* Black belt at 24 from a highly respected lineage
* Uses his tools (jab) expertly
* Ostensibly possesses devastating knockout power on the feet

Pretty much he is tracking in his own way to being the Victor Wembanyama of the UFC.

At not far off even money, you can consider me sold

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Tafa is not as bad as you might remember. Karl williams got at least 5 takedowns stuff, including a sub attempt failed.

Tafa is pretty decent at turning over and getting into turtle position and regaining his feet. karl had to really work to get the fight down by chain wrestling and relentless grit.

Teixera perhaps has the bjj to get a submission, but it's still very unknown. And he's likely not as good at position wrestling to hold Tafa down when Williams loss top ctrl several times, even in round 3 when Tafa should be gassier. And Tafa had Williams hurt badly when he was trying to shoot. If Teixera goes in grappling heavy , i dont think that will be enough or a complete mystery.

I'd probably give him a better chance at maybe catching Tafa with right hand in the later rnds if he manages to bloody him with his jab and force a doctor stoppage.

Again , i'm not saying Texeira cant win, it's a suspect fight. But i have it at dog or pass. he's got a suspect chin, cardio, ground game.

I feel somewhat the same about Kody, Hyun, they both also havent done much yet in terms of beating solid competition, they all make bad favorites.

I wonder if there's much footage of Teixeira grappling. Turtling is fine against a wrestler but if he's a legit good black belt then he'd just be giving his back here.

 

[DalchaLungiambula]

5U Texeira -150

Been given no choice but to act considering the odds.

Currently just under 20U of profit on tracked Sherdog betting.

A Texeira win will comfortably nudge me over

 

[Stat_Collector]

Texeira is a super prospect matched with a bum.

* One of the youngest heavyweights to ever get signed by the UFC
* 2nd tallest fighter to ever be signed by the UFC
* Black belt at 24 from a highly respected lineage
* Uses his tools (jab) expertly
* Ostensibly possesses devastating knockout power on the feet

Pretty much he is tracking in his own way to being the Victor Wembanyama of the UFC.

At not far off even money, you can consider me sold

Or the next Stefan Struve who knows. Sometimes a tall fighters worst matchup is a stalky short fighter with an ugly overhand punch. Watch Hunt vs Struve for reference.

I wonder if there's much footage of Teixeira grappling. Turtling is fine against a wrestler but if he's a legit good black belt then he'd just be giving his back here.

Sure, maybe he back takes and chokes him out. but big guys like that are not easy. He's got a thick neck and tree trunk legs, unless he gets arm subbed or triangled.