Early UFC 297 Odds – Betting Preview with Expert Picks & Predictions

The UFC 297 odds suggest we’ll see some real battles in Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena on January 20, 2024.

The main event – the UFC Middleweight Championship fight between Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis – is arguably the most interesting fight, with both fighters getting minus-money odds.

It’s a similar case when it comes to the UFC 297 odds for the co-main event, Raquel Pennington vs. Mayra Bueno Silva. The odds for the Neil Magny vs. Mike Malott fight and many other matchups aren’t miles apart.

In fact, the biggest favorite on the UFC 297 fight card is currently priced at -335. I take a closer look at the UFC 297 betting odds in the next section.

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Reigning UFC Middleweight champion Sean Strickland is favored to defend his title against Dricus Du Plessis, but his UFC 297 odds are only slightly shorter than the ones of his rival.

The American is priced at -125, while his South African foe’s odds are -105 right now.

There are two more fights in which each fighter is getting minus-money odds: Yohan Lainesse vs. Sam Patterson and Malcolm Gordon vs. Jimmy Flick.

On the opposite end of the odds spectrum, there’s the Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Priscila Cachoeira fight. The favorite comes with the UFC 297 betting odds of -335, the shortest of all the fighters on the card.

All this makes the UFC’s first PPV event of 2024 something MMA betting aficionados must not miss. If you’re looking for the best value, my advice is to head over to BetUS.

Not only is this betting site giving away great odds for UFC 297, but there are some nice bonuses up for grabs. The first that will come your way is the 125% welcome bonus up to $3,125.

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Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis is the main event of UFC 297 and arguably the most interesting fight of the evening. The UFC 297 odds prove my point – they’re so close that literally any outcome wouldn’t be surprising.

What is 100% certain is that Strickland vs. Du Plessis will be a real banger. Actually, the two have already given us a sneak peek at what will happen in Toronto. They fought in the stands of T-Mobile Arena during the previous UFC PPV event.

Things escalated after Du Plessis made some offensive comments about Strickland’s abusive father. He really hit the nerve there, with tough guy Strickland breaking down in tears on Theo Von’s podcast while talking about his childhood.

The full incident between Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis at #UFC296 pic.twitter.com/NDgIyv8XEM

— The JRE Companion (@TheJRECompanion) December 17, 2023

This is the first time we’re seeing “Tarzan” shaken emotionally. Will this have a bad effect on him, or will he use anger to destroy his opponent? I think the latter scenario will likely play out, but this doesn’t mean he will have an easy job against Du Plessis.

Strickland is 28-5 overall, with knockout being his favorite finishing method. He’s also very good when it comes to wrestling and grappling, the evidence being that his takedown percentage is 84% and that he’s without a single loss by submission.

“Tarzan” did get KO-ed twice in his career, which is kind of bad news given that Dricus Du Plessis is a striking genius who lands 6.95 significant strikes a minute in the UFC.

The South African is 20-2 in his professional career, with nine wins by KO/TKO and 10 by submission, which is evidence that he’s one very well-rounded fighter. He definitely has what it takes to become the champ.

However, on January 20, I’ll be betting on Strickland at BetUS, which is giving the best UFC 297 odds on the defending champion.

If you don’t share my opinion, you can back Du Plessis at BetOnline, which is giving +105 on this guy.

I plan to bet on Strickland, but I can’t say he’s my top bet. There are a few other UFC 297 bets, either with better odds or with a better chance of winning.

Mike Mallott at -255 is one of the safest bets of the event. The Ontario-based fighter will have the crown on his side in his effort to finish his sixth opponent in a row.

He’s fighting Neil Magny, who lost by submission to Ian Machado Garry in his most recent fight. I expect the same to happen in the fight with Mallott as well.

I also expect to see Gillian Robertson finish Polyana Viana by submission. “The Savage” is another fighter from Ontario who’s expected to have an easy job at UFC 297. The reason for this is that she’s a much, much better grappler than her next opponent.

Then, there’s one fight in which I’m prepared to put a lot of money on the underdog. The underdog in this case is Arnold Allen, who’s priced at +133 at Everygame.

The Englishman is 19-2 overall, with his most recent loss in April 2023 against legendary Max Holloway after five rounds of intense fighting. His next opponent, Movsar Evloev, might be undefeated, but he’s nowhere near as good as Allen.

There you have my top UFC 297 picks, and if you look closely enough, you’ll spot a pattern. I’m backing favorites, particularly those from Canada.

Nine Canadians are expected to get into the UFC Octagon in Toronto on January 20, and I think eight of them are going to win. The only Canada-based fighter who I believe might lose is Marc-André Barriault.

The reason? His opponent is Chris Curtis, who I predict will take his MMA career to the next level in k clo

Other non-Canadians I think will win at UFC 297 include Sean Strickland, Raquel Pennington, Arnold Allen, and Dominick Reyes.

If you need a little more guidance on your UFC 297 picks, our UFC betting tips will be able to help you out in some way.

The UFC’s first PPV event of 2024 will be one to remember.

The UFC 297 odds are great, and the matchups look spicy, so there is no reason not to bet on some of the fights. 

Mike Malott and Gillian Robertson are probably the two safest bets you can make, but if you’re looking for better value, I say go for Arnold Allen. Plus, you can also bet on Strickland/Du Plessis; it’s really up to you.

For the UFC 297 main event, I will put my money on the champ. I might even bet that he’s going to finish his foe once that betting market is released by BetUS. In fact, I might even put my money on the Strickland vs. Du Plessis fight, winning the Fight of the Night award.

Looking for more interesting wagers? Consider betting on the 2024 Winter X Games. For UFC 297 wagers, head to BetUS.

Footnotes:

• Fighter records and stats was taken from UFCStats.com.