MMA Preview – Darren Till vs Dricus du Plessis at UFC 282
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DARREN TILL VS DRICUS DU PLESSIS FACTS
When is UFC 282? Sunday 11th December, 2022 - 01:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC 282? T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada (US)
Where can I get tickets for UFC 282? Click here to buy tickets for UFC 282
What channel is UFC 282 on? BT Sport 1
Where can I stream UFC 282? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
DARREN TILL VS DRICUS DU PLESSIS LOWDOWN
Darren Till (18-4-1) returns with a lot to prove. After promising big things in the welterweight and middleweight division, the scouser has gone 1-4 in has last five. Injuries have limited his performances and he has been matched with the elite of the division. He got submitted by a prime Tyron Woodley (2018) for the welterweight title and knocked out by Jorge Masvidal (2019) before a well-earned split decision over Kelvin Gastelum (2019). He then succumbed to Robert Whittaker (2020) in a unanimous decision and is coming off a submission to Derek Brunson back in September last year.
Dricus du Plessis (17-2) has been handed the biggest fight of his life and it is well earned. He has only lost once in his last 14 and kicked off his UFC campaign with a bang. He buried Markus Perez (2020) on his debut and followed that up with another burial of Trevin Giles (2021). He then proved he can go a full three rounds back in July against a higher calibre fighter earning a unanimous decision over Brad Tavares to extend his streak to five.
DARREN TILL VS DRICUS DU PLESSIS PREDICTION
It is good to see Till get a more sensible matchup but although du Plessis is not a top contender or even a big name yet, he is a very dangerous opponent. He possesses savage knockout power and if full to the brim with confidence with three quality UFC performances in the bank.
Till’s confidence has always been one of his greatest assets, but it has been dented. It may help him here as he will have to be patient and weather the early storm of du Plessis. The South African is extremely aggressive and presses forward with high volume.
If Till gets caught early, he will be climbing an uphill battle. However, we expect to see the Till of old with his Muay Thai fully tuned. He will welcome the attacks of du Plessis so he can download the data he needs to control the range. Then, he will fire of his ferocious legs and counter with his 1-2 which could be money as du Plessis tends to leave his chin exposed.
Once he gets comfortable, we could also see some scouse elbows when the distance closes. If Till Is patient in the first round and respects the power of du Plessis he can grow into the fight and eventually capitalize on his suspect defence and counter right on the button after chopping down the legs.
This is likely to be a cagey performance from Till, but he has better offensive and defensive technique on the feet. We expect him to earn a decision at least and considering he is the underdog, all the value is on him.
Prediction: Till via Decision - CLICK HERE FOR PARIMATCH'S WELCOME OFFER (BET £5, GET £30 IN BONUSES!)
Value Bet: Till via KO/TKO
