Robert Whittaker vs Dricus Du Plessis Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for UFC 290 (Expect Du Plessis' Luck to Run Out)

The UFC 290 main card features a very exciting middleweight matchup between Robert Whittaker and Dricus du Plessis. The Duel's betting preview is here with everything you need, from odds and predictions to broadcast info on the bout. Let's take a look.

Whittaker vs Du Plessis Fight Info, Date & Time

UFC 290 — Main Card Middleweight Bout
Robert Whittaker (24-5, 9 KOs) vs. Dricus du Plessis (19-2, 8 KOs)
Date: Saturday, July 8, 2023
Fight Time: This will be on the main card, which begins at 10 p.m. ET.
Venue: T-Mobile Arena — Las Vegas, NV
Coverage: ESPN+

Whittaker vs Du Plessis Odds & Prop Bets

All UFC 290 odds, lines and prop bets are available on FanDuel Sportsbook.
Moneyline:
- Robert Whittaker: (-400)
- Dricus du Plessis: (+285)

Method of Victory:
- Whittaker by KO/TKO: (+135)
- Whittaker by Points: (+190)
- Whittaker by Submission: (+1300)
- Du Plessis by KO/TKO: (+500)
- Du Plessis by Points: (+1000)
- Du Plessis by Submission: (+1500)

Whittaker vs Du Plessis Prediction

Robert Whittaker is the heavy favorite in this UFC Middleweight title eliminator and it isn't hard to see why. The former interim middleweight champion is 13-2 in his last 15 fights. Although he failed to capture the gold from Israel Adesanya at UFC 271, Whittaker rebounded from the loss by defeating Marvin Vettori by unanimous decision seven months later.

Although he's the clear underdog, Dricus du Plessis has been building a solid résumé of his own. The South African combatant is 5-0 in the UFC, extending his winning streak to seven straight fights. Even more impressive is that he finished six of those opponents, most recently TKO'ing Derek Brunson at UFC 285.

In what should be a hard-hitting contest, I'm siding with Whittaker. Not only does he have more experience as a former interim middleweight champion, but he's also faced tougher opponents in the past. Du Plessis is good, but it's hard trusting him when Whittaker has already beaten names like Vettori, Kelvin Gastelum and Jared Cannonier.

Knowing what it takes to reach the top of the mountain, expect the "Reaper" to stand tall.

Winner: Robert Whittaker

Whittaker vs Du Plessis Best Bet

For the best bet, I'm taking Robert Whittaker winning by points at +190. Although winning by knockout is his top method of victory, the 32-year-old hasn't KO'd an opponent in six years. In fact, each of his last five bouts has gone the distance with him winning four of them.

Bet: Robert Whittaker to Win by Points (+190)

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.

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