Tag: Sean Strickland

UFC 312 is now only a couple of days away, and what better way to get hyped for the upcoming pay-per-view than with some MMA News staff predictions?

The event will be available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view on Saturday, February 8, 2025. The UFC 312 main card begins at 10 PM ET, while the preliminary card kicks off at 6 PM ET.

The UFC 312 main event will see middleweight kingpin Dricus Du Plessis defend his title for the second time since capturing it at the expense of Sean Strickland 13 months ago. To continue his reign, the South African is tasked with repeating that feat in a rematch opposite “Tarzan.”

Co-headlining UFC 312 will be another champ in Zhang Weili, who will look to maintain her status as strawweight queen by blemishing the currently perfect record of Tatiana Suarez.

UFC 312: MMA News Staff Predictions

Ahead of Saturday’s UFC 312 event, Thomas Albano, Ryan Jarrell, Pranav Pandey and Aakrit Sharma have provided their picks for the five matchups set for the main card.

Below, you can check out the current leaderboard through one card in 2025.

1. Thomas Albano (2-1) & Pranav Pandey (2-1)
2. Ryan Jarrell (1-2) & Aakrit Sharma (1-2)

And with that, it’s time for the team’s predictions for UFC 312.

Welterweight: Jake Matthews vs. Francisco Prado

Thomas Albano: Francisco Prado did quite well for himself on the regional scene, but he enters tonight just 1-2 in the Octagon, competing in his first fight in about a year. He won’t be an easy pushover opponent for native hero Jake Matthews, however. Matthews has competed in the UFC for over 10 years now, and that experience will prove to be highly valuable in this kind of matchup. While Matthews has traded wins and losses since the end of a three-fight win streak that he had entering 2021, he’s got the reach advantage and a real developed all-around skillset that should net him a win at UFC 312. (Prediction: Jake Matthews)

Ryan Jarrell: Matthews looked impressive in his recent victory over Phil Rowe. The Aussie is 30 years old now and entering his athletic prime. Prado is 1-2 in the UFC and coming off a convincing loss to Daniel Zellhuber. On the other hand, Matthews is 13-7 in the UFC and looking like the best version of himself. The Australian does a good job of mixing things up and is very difficult to control when he’s mixing up his wrestling with his great striking. This should be another close fight overall, but if this goes to the judges, I’d be shocked if the hometown fighter doesn’t get the nod. (Prediction: Jake Matthews)

Pranav Pandey: This is a tough one to call, and honestly, I’m on the fence about picking a winner. But if we go by the numbers and odds, Matthews — a decade-long UFC veteran — has the experience edge and a reach advantage to work with. Add in the passionate Aussie crowd behind him, and he’s got the tools to take down the young and hungry Prado. If he plays his cards right at UFC 312, this could be another much-needed win in his rollercoaster of a career. (Prediction: Jake Matthews)

Aakrit Sharma: I can only see one upside for Matthews in this fight, and that’s the fact he’s been fighting at welterweight for quite some time. In terms of pure skill, Prado is really hard to deny, considering all 12 of his victories have been finishes (6 subs and 6 KOs). The loss to Zellhuber doesn’t take away a lot from Prado because the Mexican is easily one of the most durable and talented strikers in the lightweight division. The Argentine will carry more power at welterweight, which should concern Matthews because the Australian relies heavily on his chin and gets hit a lot.

The fact that Prado’s just 22 makes me confident that he’s constantly improving. I anticipate him to have a solid start, but if Matthews can weather the early storm as usual, he could very well wrestle his way to victory. I am expecting this to be one of the most exciting fights of the night, and although Matthews is a huge step up in competition, I’m picking Prado to emerge victorious at UFC 312. (Prediction: Francisco Prado)

Consensus: 3-1 Jake Matthews

Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute vs. Rodolfo Bellato

Thomas Albano: It’s really unfortunate to see what’s happened to Jimmy Crute. He was being talked about with plenty of hype and hope after his performance on Dana White’s Contender Series, starting his Octagon run off with four wins in five fights, including a submission of Paul Craig in his UFC debut. Now, he’s gone winless in his last four fights, having not secured a win in the UFC since October 2020. And that isn’t good when taking on an up-and-comer like Rodolfo Bellato at UFC 312.

While he was unsuccessful in his first DWCS attempt, Bellato made a name for himself by becoming a champion in the LFA before securing a win in his second DWCS appearance. And in his UFC debut back in December 2023, Bellato put his name out there with a second-round finish of Ihor Potieria. While he hasn’t fought since, I feel confident in selecting Bellato based on momentum alone. (Prediction: Rodolfo Bellato)

Ryan Jarrell: This should be another fun, action-packed fight at UFC 312. There is no question that Crute has faced the tougher competition, and he will be fighting in front of his home crowd, which should juice him up ever more. Crute is in desperate need of a win if he wants to keep his job in the UFC. I think that Bellato is the more well-rounded fighter and deserves to be the favorite, which the odds reflect. But I think Crute will be energized by the Australian crowd and will exhibit the best of version of himself with his back against the wall at UFC 312. (Prediction: Jimmy Crute)

Pranav Pandey: Crute’s career hasn’t taken off the way many expected — it’s been four years since his last win, and that’s a brutal dry spell for the Aussie. On the flip side, Bellato has been turning heads, especially with his performance against Ihor Potieria. He’s anything but a one-dimensional fighter, bringing a well-rounded arsenal to the Octagon. Unless Crute finds a way to flip the script, this one’s
looking like a smooth ride for Bellato at UFC 312. (Prediction: Rodolfo Bellato)

Aakrit Sharma: Both Crute and Bellato will be entering the Octagon at UFC 312 after a silent 2024 as they last fought in July 2023 and December 2023, respectively. This is an important fight for Crute as he’s lost three of his last four. Bellato is yet to face the best in the UFC light heavyweight division, but he’s walked through all of his opponents with ease, except Vitor Petrino. As much as I want Crute to get back to the win column, I believe it’ll be a rough night for him because Bellato boasts KO power and Crute simply hasn’t shown anything special since October 2020. (Prediction: Rodolfo Bellato)

Consensus: 3-1 Rodolfo Bellato

Heavyweight: Justin Tafa vs. Tallison Teixeira

Thomas Albano: This UFC 312 fight is simple to predict, and while I understand putting Justin Tafa on the card given it’s Australia, it’s a shame that this fight is being placed as such a featured bout on the pay-per-view. Both men have finishing power and will be looking to end things rather quick. While Tafa doesn’t have a great track record in MMA when fights drag on, Tallison Teixeira has finished all five of the fights he’s had prior to UFC 312, four of them coming by KO/TKO.

This one will end early, but in favor of whom? Personally, I feel Teixeira’s youth and skillset (not to mention Tafa’s inconsistency) gives him the edge. (Prediction: Tallison Teixeira)

Ryan Jarrell: Someone is going to sleep in this one. I always seem to forget that Tafa is still just in his early 30s. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t fight very often and his last fight to Karl Williams was rather forgettable. Teixeira is undefeated at 7-0 and six of those wins are by TKO/KO. He looked impressive beating Arthur Lopes on DWCS. This is definitely a step up in competition, but I expect the Brazilian to rise to the occasion and notch a highlight finish in his UFC debut. (Prediction: Tallison Teixeira)

Pranav Pandey: When heavyweights collide, wild knockouts are almost inevitable — and I’ve got a strong feeling we’re in for another one in this showdown. Both Tafa and Teixeira pack serious firepower, but the young, undefeated Brazilian holds a massive reach advantage, making him an even bigger threat in the striking exchanges. That being said, “Bad Man” will have the Aussie crowd roaring behind him, and that energy could push him to turn this into a gritty test for Teixeira. However, I see “Xicao” rising to the occasion and delivering a statement performance under the brightest lights of his career at UFC 312. (Prediction: Tallison Teixeira)

Aakrit Sharma: This is a classic heavyweight bout where the first fighter to land the biggest blow should win
via KO. The other potential outcome is that they both respect each other’s power too much and end up giving fans a snoozefest. Teixeira has won all seven of his fights in the first round, and the lack of big names on his record would’ve been a huge problem if this was a lower weight class. At heavyweight, pure knockout power is enough to help you climb the ranks, and the likes of Derrick Lewis and
Francis Ngannou (early in his career) are perfect examples of that. Because Teixeira also has a significant reach advantage, I’m picking him to get another early KO win over Tafa at UFC 312. (Prediction: Tallison Teixeira)

Consensus: 4-0 Tallison Teixeira

UFC Strawweight Title: Zhang Weili vs. Tatiana Suarez

Thomas Albano: This is the toughest fight at UFC 312 to pick, for me. Zhang Weili has done incredible things in her time with the UFC, winning the UFC women’s strawweight title twice and putting on some of the more memorable performances in the Octagon. But you have to feel great for Tatiana Suarez to get this opportunity after all the injury time she has had to endure since the start of this decade. Suarez has continued to look well even in the time she’s been away from the cage. The only problem is “Magnum” is just simply incredible.

Zhang will have the clear striking advantage, and even if Suarez gets this fight to the ground, Zhang should have less of a difficult time in fighting back than some of Suarez’s other opponents have. There will hopefully be another time for Suarez to get a second crack at the gold (and maybe win it), but it won’t be on this night. (Prediction: Zhang Weili)

Ryan Jarrell: This is without question your typical striker versus wrestler matchup and I am here for it. At one point, I wasn’t so sure that anyone could beat the champion. Then I saw her fight with Yan Xiaonan and I started to feel very different. Zhang is not the indestructible force that some, including me, thought she was.

I expect the challenger to use her strength and wrestling to wear down the champ and drag her into deep waters. Zhang has the stand up skills to finish the fight against anyone, but I think Suarez will fight smart and stick to her gameplan through this fight. I can even see Suarez getting a finish at some point, but because I have so much respect for the current champion, I don’t think the finish will materialize at UFC 312. (Prediction: Tatiana Suarez)

Pranav Pandey: I’ll keep it simple — Zhang is an absolute machine. The sheer volume of strikes she unleashes is absurd, but that’s not even the scariest part. What truly makes her a dominant force is her near-impenetrable takedown defense and rock-solid
grappling resistance. On the other hand, Suarez is a grappling phenom and a submission specialist who has made a habit of dismantling former champions. But here’s the catch — she’s spent a significant portion of her career on the sidelines, and I believe that
layoff will play a massive role in this fight.

So, what happens if the challenger can’t keep Weili grounded? Simple — she’s going to get systematically picked apart by “Magnum.” And if that’s the case, this one’s looking like a clean, decisive win for the champ at UFC 312. (Prediction: Zhang Weili)

Aakrit Sharma: The undefeated Suarez deserves all the hype she’s getting ahead of UFC 312. Her wins over Carla Esparza, Jéssica Andrade, and Alexa Grasso have aged like fine wine, but it is very important to consider that she’ll be stepping into the Octagon after an 18-month layoff. Zhang hasn’t been too active as well, but her last four performances have removed every bit of doubt from my mind that emerged after her consecutive losses to Rose Namajunas.

Zhang’s almost the perfect women’s strawweight fighter thanks to her clean striking, strength, wrestling prowess and cardio. I’m not counting out Suarez entirely, but the challenger will surely need the best performance of her life to emerge victorious. The champion, on the other hand, already has a wealth of experience fighting the best of the best in the UFC, and it’s unlikely she’ll be overwhelmed by anything this weekend. So, I’m picking Zhang to retain her women’s strawweight championship at UFC 312. (Prediction: Zhang Weili)

Consensus: 3-1 Zhang Weili

UFC Middleweight Title: Dricus Du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland

Thomas Albano: The first time Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland met for the middleweight title, it was a fight that caused a lot of uproar in the MMA community. It appeared to be a closely contested fight, with many, including UFC CEO Dana White, feeling that Strickland deserved the nod. Despite this, White did not give Strickland an immediate rematch, instead favoring an eagerly anticipated bout between Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya. Now, at UFC 312, we finally see these two clash again.

Watching the fight live, I had it three rounds to two in favor of Du Plessis, and I still feel this way watching the rematch. Strickland landed some of the stronger strikes in the fight, and had a solid round five. Prior to that, however, Du Plessis not only matched or exceeded Strickland in terms of damage but also controlled the pace. This brings about plenty of questions as to how each made adjustments entering this next fight. Ultimately, however, when you consider both men’s fighting styles and compare their records, my UFC 312 pick is still with the man currently holding the gold. (Prediction: Dricus Du Plessis)

Ryan Jarrell: If this rematch is anything like the first fight, then we are in for a bloody treat. Considering the adjustments that could be made, the styles that these two both possess really line this rematch up for an interesting title fight. I feel like I’ve learned my lesson picking against Du Plessis at this point. The champion might not have the most appealing style, but you cannot argue with his effectiveness. I expect Strickland to give the champion some issues early on, but at the end of the day, the wrestling of the South African will be the difference in winning rounds en route to a successful defense of his title. (Prediction: Dricus Du Plessis)

Pranav Pandey: Both fighters know each other’s game inside and out, and with that burning familiarity comes a new level of calculated chaos. When it comes to chaos, “Stillknocks” is a walking nightmare. His wildly unpredictable style has turned every opponent he’s faced into a puzzle they couldn’t solve. But standing in his way is Strickland, armed with his unorthodox Philly shell stance, which enables
him to apply relentless pressure. Their first encounter was a blood-soaked slugfest, and the sequel at UFC 312? I have a hunch this time, we won’t hear the final bell toll.

I’m backing DDP this time around, and for good reason. He’s a well-rounded wrecking machine, unloading power punches at will while keeping the constant danger of a submission lurking if the fight hits the canvas. And something tells me we’re in for a taste of that on Saturday night. Now, Strickland is undoubtedly one of the sharpest boxers in the middleweight division, but his game lacks variety. That could be his undoing. He’ll bring the heat and make life miserable for the champ, but nothing Du Plessis isn’t built to withstand. (Prediction: Dricus Du Plessis)

Aakrit Sharma: Here we go again! This is easily one of the weirdest matchups stylistically in the UFC middleweight division because Du Plessis’ style is incomprehensible on any given day, while Strickland just manages to make every fight close with his constant teeps, jabs, and defense. Strickland is undoubtedly a better striker than Du Plessis in my mind, and he was able to neutralize the South African’s wrestling to a large extent in the first fight. Having said that, it’s hard to pick against Du Plessis at this point in his career. He’s arguably
in his physical prime, undefeated in the UFC, and has beaten the likes of Robert Whittaker, Strickland, and Adesanya in back-to-back fights.

Du Plessis has flaws — a lot of them, in fact. However, his willingness to never back down and come up with the most unorthodox techniques makes him the most dangerous middleweight in the world. Technically, there is no way to prepare for a fighter like this, as he rarely showcases any patterns in his striking or ground game. If Strickland yet again sticks to his overly defensive and safe style, I’m sure the champion will already be a lot more prepared than their last outing. The challenger also rarely shows the intent to finish his fights which should work against him at UFC 312.

Based on his grit and recent momentum, I’m picking Dricus Du Plessis to retain his middleweight championship at UFC 312 this weekend. (Prediction: Dricus Du Plessis)

Consensus: 4-0 Dricus Du Plessis

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That’ll do it for our UFC 312 staff picks! What do you think? Do your predictions look similar? Let us know in the comments section! Also, you can check out the full UFC 312 card below.

Main Card:

• Middleweight Championship: Dricus Du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland
• Women’s Strawweight Championship: Zhang Weili vs. Tatiana Suarez
• Heavyweight: Justin Tafa vs. Tallison Teixeira
• Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute vs. Rodolfo Bellato
• Welterweight: Jake Matthews vs. Francisco Prado

Preliminary Card:

• Featherweight: Jack Jenkins vs. Gabriel Santos
• Lightweight: Tom Nolan vs. Viacheslav Borshchev
• Women’s Flyweight: Wang Cong vs. Bruna Brasil
• Bantamweight: Colby Thicknesse vs. Aleksandre Topuria

Early Preliminary Card:

• Lightweight: Rongzhu vs. Kody Steele
• Welterweight: Kevin Jousset vs. Jonathan Micallef
• Lightweight: Quillan Salkilld vs. Anshul Jubli
• Flyweight: HyunSung Park vs. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel

Be sure to keep it right here on MMANews.com for all the results, highlights, and updates on UFC 312!