In a light heavyweight bout on the main card, Kennedy Nzechukwu and Ion Cutelaba meet Saturday at UFC Fight Night 215 at the UFC’s APEX Facility in Las Vegas. Let’s analyze Tipico Sportsbook‘s lines around the UFC Fight Night 215: Nzechukwu vs. Cutelaba odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.
The prelims begin at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN+, and the main card starts at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Nzechukwu lost 2 in a row against Da-Un Jung and Nicolae Negumereanu, but he picked up the Round 2 KO/TKO win over Karl Roberson last time out in July. He has finished inside the distance in 4 of the past 5 fights, all via KO/TKO, with 3 wins. His only fight to go the distance was a split-decision loss at UFC 272 to Negumereanu.
Cutelaba limps in on a 2-bout losing streak, getting submitted in the 1st round in each fight. His last victory was against Devin Clark via unanimous decision in mid-Sept. 2021.
Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here.
UFC Fight Night 215: Nzechukwu vs. Cutelaba odds
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 3:59 a.m. ET.
- Fight result (2-way line): Nzechukwu -175 (bet $175 to win $100) | Cutelaba +150 (bet $100 to win $150)
- Over/Under: 1.5 rounds (Over -140 | Under -102)
- Fight to go distance: Yes (+210) | No (-320)
Claim your risk-free bet up to $350. Catch the excitement and start betting with Tipico Sportsbook! New customer offer in CO and NJ. 21+, see Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. Bet now!
UFC Fight Night 215: Nzechukwu vs. Cutelaba picks and predictions
Records: Nzechukwu (10-3-0) | Cutelaba (18-6-1)
Fight result (2-way line or moneyline)
NZECHUKWU (-175) is a moderate favorite, and a little pricey, but he is a strong play on the 2-way line since Cutelaba has struggled lately.
Cutelaba heads into this bout on a 1-4-1 skid across his past 6 fights, including 2 submission losses and 2 KO/TKO setbacks. His only win was against Clark, with a draw against Justin Jacoby.
The 30-year-old Nzechukwu has been a little more consistent, going 4-2 across the past 6 fights. He holds an 8-inch reach advantage, so he’ll be able to hold Cutelaba at a distance, moving in and out at his leisure, picking and choosing his spots, while avoiding the big shots from the challenger.
NZECHUKWU BY KO/TKO (+120) at plus money is also a good value, as Cutelaba just cannot be trusted to pull out of his nosedive.
Over/Under (O/U)
No (-320): Fight to go the distance will cost you more than 3 times your potential return. That’s terribly costly.
I do like OVER 1.5 ROUNDS (-140), as I think Cutelaba is veteran enough to where he’ll be able to hang around and make Nzechukwu work for it. Eventually, though, this fight ends with Cutelaba on his back, shaking off the cobwebs after another knockout loss.
Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.
Want action on this UFC fight or any other sports matchup? Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, SportsbookWire’s official sportsbook partner in CO and NJ. Bet now!
If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW, or try out our USA TODAY Parlay Calculator. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and us on Facebook.
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=2559]