It’s pay-per-view time again in the UFC, with UFC 312 going down this Saturday night (Sunday morning locally) from Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. We’ve got two title fights on top and lots of local Aussies scattered throughout the 13-fight lineup. Here are your UFC 312 predictions & best bets to make Saturday night profitable.
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UFC 312 PREDICTIONS & BEST BETS
Dricus du Plessis (-200) vs Sean Strickland
The rematch no one wanted is our main event – Dricus du Plessis vs Sean Strickland 2, for the UFC Middleweight Championship. The first fight stunk, and there’s no reason why the second one will be any better.
I also expect the same outcome in Part 2. Strickland may land more strikes on the champ, but DDP’s shots will be much more damaging and significant. And du Plessis can lean on his wrestling again like he did in the first fight to win rounds and grind down Strickland.
Tatiana Suarez (+105) vs Zhang Weili
The co-main event is not a rematch and it’s not a fight I expected to see. Tatiana Suarez is forever on the shelf with injuries, so I had doubts she’d make it to fight night. But so far, so good.
And I like the challenger’s chances at usurping Zhang Weili. Suarez was an Olympic-level wrestler before being derailed by a cancer diagnosis, and she’s taken that skillset over to the cage. I see her grinding out a victory on the mat on Saturday.
Jack Jenkins (+190) vs Gabriel Santos
I’m puzzled as to why Jack Jenkins is an underdog – especially an almost 2 to 1 dog – to Gabriel Santos, but I’ll gladly take him at these odds. The Aussie has only lost once in the UFC, and that was due to a freak elbow dislocation during a fight.
Jenkins is a far better and more dangerous striker than Gabriel Santos and is a solid grappler as well. With the home crowd behind him, I see him cashing big for us.
Kody Steele (-225) vs Rongzhu
The final two picks are from Saturday’s early prelims, starting with the debuting Kody Steele – the most American name ever. Steele is 7-0 as an MMA pro and has TKO’d his last four opponents, including Chasen Blair via a body shot on Dana White’s Contender Series last fall, which got him called up to the big show.
But he’s not just a striker – Steele is a very accomplished grappler. He should be able to best Rongzhu wherever this fight takes place – on the feet and/or on the mat.
Hyun Sung Park (-225) vs Nyamjargal Tumendemberel
Finally, a play for Saturday’s curtain jerker (6:00 PM Eastern start time). Hyun Sung Park and Nyamjargal Tumendemberel are both alumni of the Road to UFC show, with Park winning the flyweight division tournament in 2023.
Tumendemberel has shown a big hole in his wrestling defense in past fights which the South Korean Park should be able to exploit. A perfect 9-0 as a pro, Park can win the fight on the feet or the ground – he has four knockouts and four submissions.
Check out the MMA Gambling Podcast if you’d like even more UFC 312 picks. The guys are dropping five episodes a week to make you the smartest guy at the bar.
