UFC 208 Betting Preview And Picks
There are no female divisions in the UFC right now most likely without Rousey, who has become one of the biggest female athletic stars in the United States not just because of how dominating she had been in the Octagon but also her personality and looks. There’s a reason that Rousey also appears in movies.
Friday could well be her last fight as more movies are likely in Rousey’s future. And she admitted thoughts of suicide when she lost her title to then-unknown Holly Holm last November in Australia in the biggest upset in MMA history. Rousey was completely battered in the fight. She clearly wasn’t ready to fight a female boxer like Holm was. The first female to ever sign with the UFC, Rousey had recorded six consecutive title defenses, five of which ended in the first round, prior to the loss.
Rousey (12-1) has been out of the media limelight ahead of this fight but has posted some pictures on Instagram and she looks totally ripped compared to when she fought Holm. Then again, in combat sports, unlike in Hollywood, fights aren’t always won by the athlete with the most shredded physique (Fedor Emelianenko is an example of that).
“The Lioness” Nunes (13-4) has been a mainstay in the bantamweight division since 2011, fighting in Strikeforce and Invicta Fighting Championships before making her UFC debut in 2013. Nunes won the title by submitting Miesha Tate in the first round at UFC 200 in July. The Brazilian was dominant on her feet with a flawless display of boxing. She bloodied Tate’s face with stiff jabs and overhand rights before taking her to the ground and securing a rear-naked choke.
Nunes is on a four-fight winning streak and has 12 career finishes in 13 wins. A win over Rousey will put her in the “Fighter of the Year” discussion. It should be noted that Rousey also beat Tate twice earlier in her career.
At 28, Nunes is one year younger than Rousey and she’s an inch taller at 5-foot- 8 and has an inch of reach at 69. The additional inch of height and reach that Nunes has represents a small edge, especially since her physicality plays into her technical game. The most noteworthy difference is in their layoffs. Nunes has fought twice already this year. Rousey has not fought in over a year.
If Rousey doesn’t get Nunes on the ground, Rousey will lose again. Nunes is the better striker. In her UFC/Strikeforce career, she has built a 1.42 striking differential, which is significant strikes landed per minute minus significant strikes absorbed per minute. Rousey has managed only 0.69 in her combined UFC/Strikeforce career.
The ground is Rousey’s wheelhouse. There’s a reason she lost to Holm as she couldn’t get her off her feet. Rousey attempts one more takedown per round than Nunes and completes more than three times the amount per round. In her UFC/Strikeforce career Rousey has earned seven of her 10 wins via submission. Nunes has not been submitted since her professional debut in 2008. In the UFC, she has allowed only three submissions.
UFC Fight Amanda Nunes
The Rousey myth has been blown up. Take the underdog Nunes to send Rousey into retirement. UFC 206 Main Card Betting Predictions
There have been reports that McGregor voluntarily relinquished the featherweight belt after beating Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title at UFC 205 last month. Recently, the UFC announced McGregor had “relinquished” the featherweight title, which he won by knocking out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds last December. Yet McGregor denies he did that. Now Aldo is considered the undisputed champion and should fight the Pettis-Holloway winner next year.
Before Holloway was matched up with Pettis at UFC 206 in Toronto, the Hawaiian featherweight had been rumored for a matchup with Aldo instead. According to Holloway, he heard that a fight with Aldo was potentially coming together for either UFC 205 in New York or UFC 206 in Toronto but then all of a sudden neither actually happened. Holloway has hinted that Aldo is ducking him.
Pettis (19-5) was the lightweight champion but then went on a three-fight losing streak. He responded to that in August by moving down in weight, and he looked spectacular in his featherweight debut by choking out Charles Oliveira. Pettis’ saving grace throughout his losing streak was that all three defeats came by decision. To that end, he was able to pinpoint a couple of small mistakes that cost him in each fight.
Holloway (16-3) goes after his first UFC title. McGregor beat Holloway by decision at UFC Fight Night 26 in August 2013. It was Holloway’s most recent loss – and the only McGregor win in the UFC to go the distance. Holloway said the thought of going up to lightweight to challenge McGregor if he beats Pettis and then Aldo to become the lineal featherweight champ is appealing.
When Holloway entered the UFC, he was 20 years old and 4-0 as a professional. He went 3-3 in his first two years in the promotion, with his three losses coming against the highest-ranked, most well-known opponents he faced. But each of those losses provided formative lessons for the young fighter that have helped him achieve the longest winning streak in the UFC featherweight division’s history. He comes off an entertaining three-round decision over Ricardo Lamas at UFC 199 in June.
Holloway is numerically even with, or superior to, Pettis in most measured areas of striking. FightMetric shows he is more active, better defensively and just as accurate. Pettis absorbs less damage overall, but he’s hit almost as often as he lands, while Holloway lands far more than he absorbs.
2016 was a big year for UFC, and they are looking to keep the action rolling by giving us a pretty stacked card for UFC 208, which is scheduled to go this coming Saturday, February 11 in New York. There are a lot of great fights to pick from, so let’s quickly run down the card and take a look at the UFC betting odds for each bout as we go.
UFC 208 Betting Preview And Picks
Phillippe Nover (+170) vs Rick Glenn (-200)
Glenn is coming off the back of a bit of a beating at the hands of Evan Dunham, but in fairness, he was not fighting in his preferred weight class in that one. He is back in the 145-pound class for this bout, and should have little difficulty taking care of Nover.Roan Carneiro (+225) vs Ryan LaFlare (-275)
These two welterweights were once top contenders, but now find their careers on the downside. LaFlare has the definite age advantage over 38-year old Carneiro, and while the older fighter is the better finisher, it should be LaFlare who wins by decision.Jarred Brooks (-110) vs Ian McCall (-110)
McCall’s career has stalled a little because of injury, but he is still very much considered a contender for the flyweight crown. His original opponent, Neil Seery, pulled out due to a family bereavement, and Brooks serves as a tougher opponent. Giving McCall the slight edge in this bout.Nik Lentz (+150) vs Islam Makhachev (-180)
Lentz is a good fighter, but there are questions as to whether the lightweight division is where he should be. A victory over submission expert Makhachev may make things a little clearer, and I think Lentz will pull this one out by decision.Ulka Sasaki (+445) vs Wilson Reis (-595)
Sasaki must feel a little hard done by, as he is just a few months off a title shot that ended up being cancelled due to an injury to Demetrious Johnson. This is a fight he should get done with quickly, and we can only hope that his next bout will be something more substantial.Jim Miller (+295) vs Dustin Poirier (-370)
Poirier was on a great run at the 155-pound weight level before taking a devastating loss at the hands of Michael Johnson. He will be looking to rebound at UFC 208, and should be able to get back to winning ways against an in-form Jim Miller.Jared Cannonier (+145) vs Glover Teixeira (-170)
On paper, this looks like a win for Glover Teixeira, simply because we don’t really know that much about Cannonier, whose 9-1 record has come against lesser opposition. Teixeira can beat opponents in several different ways, and should have more than enough to win this one.Tim Boetsch (+380) vs Ronaldo Souza (-510)
It’ll be interesting to see if Souza will have any rust after fighting just once in 2016. If he can shake it off early, he should not have any real difficulty taking care of Boetsch.Anderson Silva (+130) vs Derek Brunson (-150)
You get the sense that Silva was added to the card to add a little star power, but you have to question whether the 41-year old still has anything left in the tank, especially when you consider that his last win came in 2012. Gotta go with Brunson here.Holly Holm (+105) vs Germaine De Randamie (-125)
It may be Holly Holm who is the better known of the two fighters, but she is in for a tough battle against a very talented De Randamie. This looks set not be a brawl that goes the distance, with Germaine winning it by decision. UFC 207 Main Card Betting PredictionIt’s been a while, but UFC fans are finally going to get to see Ronda Rousey back in action when she steps into the Octagon to face Amanda Nunes in Las Vegas on Saturday night. That is the bout that everyone is waiting to see, but the main car for UFC 207 is a good one, so let’s break it all down and make some predictions as we do so.
UFC 207 Main Card Betting Prediction
Louis Smolka (+115) Vs Ray Borg (-135)
This looks to be a great flyweight bout, as both fighters are coming off unexpected losses and need a win to get back on track. Expect to see a lot of grappling in this one, as these two may be heading to the mat on a regular basis. Taking some of the shine off this one is the fact that Ray Borg missed weight, which may well be a sign that he is not as ready to go as we would hope. I think this swings things in the favor of Smolka, who I believe will win by submission in the 3rd.Dong Hyun Kim (-145) Vs Tarec Saffiedine (+125)
These two guys may be a ways off from getting a welterweight title shot, but the only way to move closer to a bigger bout is to win on a regular basis. Neither man possesses a lot of stopping power, so it would not be a surprise to see this one go the distance. The slight edge in fighting prowess has to go to Kim, so look for him to win this one my unanimous decision.TJ Diilashaw (-195) Vs John Lineker (+165)
There are no real guarantees in this sport, but there is a very good chance that the winner of this bantamweight bout would get a title shot at the winner of the Cruz/Gabarandt fight later in the night. If Lineker is to score the upset in this one, he is going to have to connect with one of his big punches. If he can’t, the more likely outcome is that Dillashaw will do enough to come away with the unanimous decision.Dominick Cruz (-220) Vs Cody Gabarandt (+180)
This bout is going to go one of two ways: the first will see Cody Gabarandt come out firing in the first round in an attempt to take down Cruz with his superior power. The second sees Cruz survive that early blitz and go on to use his excellent movement and boxing skills to wear Gabarandt down. I see the latter of the two scenarios being what happens, with Cruz winning by decision.Ronda Rousey (-170) Vs Amanda Nunes (+140)
Rousey has been out of the octagon for a while now, and there have been some questions about her mental state heading into this fight. That said, she looked composed and formidable at the weigh-in, and that could be bad news for Nunes. I think this will be a strong return for Rousey, and I like her to win by submission in the early rounds. UFC 207 Amanda Nunes vs. Ronda Rousey Betting PredictionThe UFC usually stages its biggest cards on Saturday nights, just like they do in boxing. But this Saturday night is New Year’s Eve and also the night of the College Football Playoff second semifinal between Ohio State and Clemson. So smartly, the UFC is staging its 207 card from Las Vegas on Friday night and it’s the biggest bout in women’s MMA history as it marks the return to the Octagon of arguably the most popular MMA fighter on the planet, male or female, in American Ronda Rousey. She is the -150 favorite on MyBookie MMA odds against current bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes, who is +130. The over/under rounds total is just 1.5. The main event should start somewhere around 11:30 p.m. ET and will be shown on pay-per- view.
UFC 207 Amanda Nunes vs. Ronda Rousey Betting Prediction
There are no female divisions in the UFC right now most likely without Rousey, who has become one of the biggest female athletic stars in the United States not just because of how dominating she had been in the Octagon but also her personality and looks. There’s a reason that Rousey also appears in movies.
Friday could well be her last fight as more movies are likely in Rousey’s future. And she admitted thoughts of suicide when she lost her title to then-unknown Holly Holm last November in Australia in the biggest upset in MMA history. Rousey was completely battered in the fight. She clearly wasn’t ready to fight a female boxer like Holm was. The first female to ever sign with the UFC, Rousey had recorded six consecutive title defenses, five of which ended in the first round, prior to the loss.
Rousey (12-1) has been out of the media limelight ahead of this fight but has posted some pictures on Instagram and she looks totally ripped compared to when she fought Holm. Then again, in combat sports, unlike in Hollywood, fights aren’t always won by the athlete with the most shredded physique (Fedor Emelianenko is an example of that).
“The Lioness” Nunes (13-4) has been a mainstay in the bantamweight division since 2011, fighting in Strikeforce and Invicta Fighting Championships before making her UFC debut in 2013. Nunes won the title by submitting Miesha Tate in the first round at UFC 200 in July. The Brazilian was dominant on her feet with a flawless display of boxing. She bloodied Tate’s face with stiff jabs and overhand rights before taking her to the ground and securing a rear-naked choke.
Nunes is on a four-fight winning streak and has 12 career finishes in 13 wins. A win over Rousey will put her in the “Fighter of the Year” discussion. It should be noted that Rousey also beat Tate twice earlier in her career.
At 28, Nunes is one year younger than Rousey and she’s an inch taller at 5-foot- 8 and has an inch of reach at 69. The additional inch of height and reach that Nunes has represents a small edge, especially since her physicality plays into her technical game. The most noteworthy difference is in their layoffs. Nunes has fought twice already this year. Rousey has not fought in over a year.
If Rousey doesn’t get Nunes on the ground, Rousey will lose again. Nunes is the better striker. In her UFC/Strikeforce career, she has built a 1.42 striking differential, which is significant strikes landed per minute minus significant strikes absorbed per minute. Rousey has managed only 0.69 in her combined UFC/Strikeforce career.
The ground is Rousey’s wheelhouse. There’s a reason she lost to Holm as she couldn’t get her off her feet. Rousey attempts one more takedown per round than Nunes and completes more than three times the amount per round. In her UFC/Strikeforce career Rousey has earned seven of her 10 wins via submission. Nunes has not been submitted since her professional debut in 2008. In the UFC, she has allowed only three submissions.
UFC Fight Amanda Nunes
The Rousey myth has been blown up. Take the underdog Nunes to send Rousey into retirement. UFC 206 Main Card Betting Predictions
The UFC has packed up the Octagon and headed north to Toronto, Canada, which is where UFC 206 will take place this coming Saturday, December 10. A little bit of the shine has been taken off this one with Daniel Cormier pulling out through injury, but there are still plenty of fights to keep UFC fans happy. Let’s do a quick breakdown of the fights on the main card, whilst also making predictions for each.
A Closer Look At The UFC 206 Main Card Betting Predictions
Nikita Krylov (21-4), Misha Cirkunov (12-2)
A light heavyweight bout that is guaranteed to deliver some sparks. These are two guys who are all-action, and I would be stunned if this fight went the distance. Both guys can finish the bout off on the mat or on their feet, and they are both very evenly matched. Give the edge to Misha Cirkunov, winning it in the 4th.Cub Swanson (23-7), Dooho Choi (14-1)
Swanson is on the comeback trail after losing two in a row at the hands of Max Holloway and Frankie Edgar. He is in for a tough one against Choi, a young fighter on the rise who could well crack the top 10 with a win here. This is another bout that promises a lot of action, and I believe that Choi will get the win with a TKO.Donald Cerrone (31-7 (1)), Matt Brown (20-15)
This is a fight featuring a pair of guys at very different stages in their careers. Cerrone is hot right now, and is probably just 2 or 3 more wins away from a title shot in the Welterweight division. Brown, on the other hand, has seen his career start to slide, losing 4 of his last 5. This looks like a bit of a mismatch, and I like Cerrone to get the job done in the early rounds.Rashad Evans (19-5-1), Tim Kennedy (18-5)
This is a Middleweight bout that was originally slated to be on the UFC 205 card, but which was mysteriously cancelled just days before the event. It’s on now, though, and Kennedy will be looking for a way back after losing 4 of his last 6. Tim Kennedy has had issues with the UFC brass and has fought sparingly over the last couple of years. This is likely to go the distance, and I think Kennedy will shake off some early rust to get the win.Max Holloway (16-3), Anthony Pettis (19-5)
With the cancellation of the Cormier/Johnson bout, this one moves to the headliner spot on the card. Holloway did not get off to a particularly auspicious start in the UFC, but he is coming into this fight riding an astonishing 9-fight winning streak. He has a tough one on Saturday against Pettis, a former champion in the Lightweight division. Pettis bounced back with a win over Charles Oliveira in his last fight, and could jump right into featherweight title contention with a win here. The smart money would be on Holloway in this one, but Pettis is a fighter that should never be overlooked. UFC 206 Max Holloway vs Anthony Pettis Betting PredictionUFC 206 is staged at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Saturday and the card was to be headlined by a light-heavyweight championship fight between current champion Daniel Cormier and Anthony Johnson. However, Cormier had to pull out due to injury and Johnson didn’t want to fight anyone else. So the new main event features former UFC and WEC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis taking on Max Holloway for the interim UFC featherweight title formerly held by Conor McGregor. Holloway is a – 190 favorite on the MMA odds with Pettis at +160 and the over/under rounds at 2.5. The card is available on pay-per- view.
UFC 206 Max Holloway vs Anthony Pettis Betting Prediction
There have been reports that McGregor voluntarily relinquished the featherweight belt after beating Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title at UFC 205 last month. Recently, the UFC announced McGregor had “relinquished” the featherweight title, which he won by knocking out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds last December. Yet McGregor denies he did that. Now Aldo is considered the undisputed champion and should fight the Pettis-Holloway winner next year.
Before Holloway was matched up with Pettis at UFC 206 in Toronto, the Hawaiian featherweight had been rumored for a matchup with Aldo instead. According to Holloway, he heard that a fight with Aldo was potentially coming together for either UFC 205 in New York or UFC 206 in Toronto but then all of a sudden neither actually happened. Holloway has hinted that Aldo is ducking him.
Pettis (19-5) was the lightweight champion but then went on a three-fight losing streak. He responded to that in August by moving down in weight, and he looked spectacular in his featherweight debut by choking out Charles Oliveira. Pettis’ saving grace throughout his losing streak was that all three defeats came by decision. To that end, he was able to pinpoint a couple of small mistakes that cost him in each fight.
Holloway (16-3) goes after his first UFC title. McGregor beat Holloway by decision at UFC Fight Night 26 in August 2013. It was Holloway’s most recent loss – and the only McGregor win in the UFC to go the distance. Holloway said the thought of going up to lightweight to challenge McGregor if he beats Pettis and then Aldo to become the lineal featherweight champ is appealing.
When Holloway entered the UFC, he was 20 years old and 4-0 as a professional. He went 3-3 in his first two years in the promotion, with his three losses coming against the highest-ranked, most well-known opponents he faced. But each of those losses provided formative lessons for the young fighter that have helped him achieve the longest winning streak in the UFC featherweight division’s history. He comes off an entertaining three-round decision over Ricardo Lamas at UFC 199 in June.
Holloway is numerically even with, or superior to, Pettis in most measured areas of striking. FightMetric shows he is more active, better defensively and just as accurate. Pettis absorbs less damage overall, but he’s hit almost as often as he lands, while Holloway lands far more than he absorbs.
