Tag: Middleweight bout

UFC on ESPN 14: Robert Whittaker vs. Darren Till odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 14 fight between Robert Whittaker and Darren Till, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

[jwplayer 0FBiWFoT]

Robert Whittaker and Darren Till tangle in a middleweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN 14 Saturday at the UFC’s Fight Island facility on Yas Island, United Arab Emirates. The prelims kick off at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, followed by the main card set for 8 p.m. ET.

Want to place a bet on UFC on ESPN 14? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Whittaker (21-5) looks to pick himself up and dust himself off after a title bout beatdown at the hands of Israel Adesanya last time out at UFC 243 on Oct. 5, 2019. Whittaker was dumped in Round 2 at the 3:33 mark in that one, but he is still 9-1 across the past 10 outings with four KO/TKO wins and five decision victories. Whittaker hasn’t registered a submission win or loss since he had to tap vs. Hoon Kim in a match Oct. 30, 2011 at LFC: Legends Fighting Championship 6, so don’t waste your money playing submission results in the props. Three of Whittaker’s past five outings, and seven of the previous 13, have finished inside the distance, though.

For Till (18-2-1), losing hasn’t been a regular occurrence for the southpaw Briton. He picked up a split-decision win over Kelvin Gastelum last time out at UFC 244, slapping the brakes on a two-bout losing skid as a welterweight. Those two losses were against Jorge Masvidal (March 16, 2019) and Tyron Woodley (Sept. 8, 2018) in a title bout, so not a lot of shame in that game. Till then elected to move up to 185 pounds. Three of his previous five finished inside the distance, although he has never posted a submission victory at the UFC level. His last submission win was way back on Nov. 29, 2014 against Sergio Matias at AFC: Aspera FC 14, so a tap out in this one isn’t likely. It will either be decided on points or by knockout.

Robert Whittaker vs. Darren Till betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 9 a.m. ET.

TILL (+105) is a nice play as a slight underdog in this one. While Whittaker (-125) lands 4.77 significant strikes per minute to 2.41 for Till, the Brit is much more accurate with the fists. Till will look to tire Whittaker in the clinch, and that’s where he has the biggest advantage of all.

Will this fight go the distance? Let’s go with a rather weak NO (-143). In other words, expect the judges not to be involved, but don’t put a lot on that. In fact, betting UNDER 4.5 ROUNDS (-134) is a little cheaper, and probably a better play.

I don’t have a strong lean toward Till or the Under in rounds, but I do feel as if this one will end in a KO/TKO/DQ (-125) one way or the other. It’s best not to focus on which fighter will win, but HOW it will end. Look for a KO/TKO as the best bet.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=2559]

UFC on ESPN+ 30: Jack Hermansson vs. Kelvin Gastelum odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 30 fight between Jack Hermansson and Kelvin Gastelum, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

[jwplayer uEnvU3hS]

Jack Hermansson and Kelvin Gastelum meet in a middleweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN+ 30 – also known as UFC Fight Night 172 – Saturday at the UFC’s Fight Island facility on Yas Island, United Arab Emirates. The prelims kick off at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, followed by the main card set for 8 p.m. ET.

Want to place a bet on UFC on ESPN+ 30? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Hermansson (20-5) will tower over Gastelum (16-5) when the two step toe to toe in the octagon Saturday night. The Norwegian middleweight stands 6-foot-1 to just 5-foot-9 for the American. In addition, Hermansson owns a huge 77.5″ to 71.5″ reach advantage, so you can bet Gastelum will be looking to socially distance himself from his lanky counterpart as much as possible.

Hermansson will be looking for his sixth finish at the middleweight division. He ranks sixth in shortest average fight time in his weight class at 8:05. He’ll be looking to toss his weight around, as he checks in at 21:53 in control time, and 27.1 in control-time percentage, whereas Gastelum isn’t even a blip on the radar in those two departments. Hermansson also ranks ninth with a 19.5 top-position percentage.

Where Gastelum has a huge advantage is with his fists in an upright fight. He has recorded six knockdowns landed, or 0.80 per 15 minutes. Hermansson can hold his own in that department, too, however, as he ranks second among active middleweights with 5.13 significant strikes landed per minute, and he is No. 1 overall with a 2.57 striking differential.

Jack Hermansson vs. Kelvin Gastelum betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 8 a.m. ET.

Hermansson (-110) does so many different things well, and the height and reach advantage are impressive. However, GASTELUM (-110) is hungry after a two-bout losing skid. He lost a title fight against Israel Adesanya, and followed it up with a disappointing split-decision setback to Darren Till last time out at UFC 244. The southpaw could use a big win to snap him back on track, and he’ll get that with decision victory Saturday. As such, taking GASTELUM ON POINTS (+300) is a particularly attractive prop. You’ll also want to take YES (-118): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE?

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=2559]

UFC on ESPN 12: Brendan Allen vs. Kyle Daukaus odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 12 fight between Brendan Allen and Kyle Daukaus, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

[jwplayer V5jyIoVm]

Brendan Allen and Kyle Daukaus meet up in a middleweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN 12 – also known as UFC Fight Night 174 – Saturday at the UFC’s APEX Facility in Las Vegas. The prelims kick off at 5 p.m. ET, followed by the main card set for 8 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+.

Allen (14-3) made his UFC debut Oct. 18, 2019 when he dusted Kevin Holland in Round 2. Allen’s next UFC fight was on the Benavidez-Figueiredo card Feb. 29 in Jacksonville, where he won in a first-round KO/TKO vs. Tom Breese. Allen has won each of his past six professional fights, last losing Jan. 26, 2018 at LFA 32 in a title bout against Anthony Hernandez in a unanimous decision. Allen has only lost once inside the distance, a rear-naked choke submission loss at LFC 52: Legacy Fighting Championship 52 against Trevin Giles in March 2016. Each of Allen’s past three bouts have finished inside the distance, and two didn’t even see the bell to end Round 1.

Daukaus (9-0) has yet to taste defeat in his professional MMA career, but this will be his first foray into the octagon as a UFC fighter. In his most recent event, he picked up a submission win over Nolan Norwood at CFFC 81: Cage Fury Fighting Championships 81 to earn the middleweight strap. Now Daukaus gets to battle another up-and-comer in what could be an impressive fight. He has posted eight wins by submission and one unanimous decision win, but has never seen an opponent quite as strong or talented as Allen.

Want to place a bet on UFC on ESPN 12? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Brendan Allen vs. Kyle Daukaus betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday, June 26 at 7:05 a.m. ET.

The sample sizes on both Allen (-304) and Daukaus (+240) are rather small. It’s a tempting play to take Daukaus at a solid value, especially since he has never suffered a pro setback, but he is just too much of an unknown quantity. The best course of action is to AVOID playing the 2-way line and focus on more specifics.

There will be a bit of a feeling-out process in this one, so I like the play of TOTAL NUMBER OF ROUNDS OVER 1.5 (-130). I’m not 100 percent confident we’ll see the judges get involved in the decision, but I don’t feel it is going to be a super quick match, either. Instead of picking a particular fighter to win, simply bet how the fight will finish. Go with SUBMISSION (-106) at near even-money for the win.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Allen (-304) on the 2-way line returns a profit of just $3.29. A $10 play on OVER 1.5 rounds (-130) nets a profit of $7.69, while going with a submission (-106) by either opponent as the method of victory fetches a return of $9.43.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=2559]

UFC Fight Night 172: Karl Roberson vs. Marvin Vettori odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 172 fight between Karl Roberson and Marvin Vettori, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

Karl Roberson and Marvin Vettori tangle in a middleweight fight on the main card at UFC Fight Night 172 Saturday at the UFC’s Apex Facility in Las Vegas. The prelims kick off at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the main card set for 9 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+.

Roberson (9-2) heads into this one with statistical advantages, leading 52.99 to 41.95 in significant strikes-accuracy percentage and 57.14 to 45.00 in takedown-accuracy percentage, as well as 0.80 to 0.63 in submission average. The southpaw was submitted by Glover Teixeira in the UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Dillashaw card Jan. 19, 2019, but bounced back with a split-decision win over Wellington Turman July 13, 2019, and a submission win of his own against Roman Kopylov Nov. 9, 2019 in his most recent outing. Since arriving at the UFC level, four of Roberson’s six fights have ended via submission, with two wins and two losses, so he usually ends up on the mat in some fashion.

Vettori (14-4-1), a.k.a. “The Italian Dream,” enters with a pair of unanimous decisions wins in his past two outings. He defeated Andrew Sanchez Oct. 12, 2019 and topped Cezar Ferreira July 13, 2019. Roberson actually fought Ferreira a year earlier, losing by submission May 12, 2018 at UFC 224. Since arriving at the UFC level, the results have been mixed for the Italian, posting a 4-2-1 record with his past six bouts going the distance.

Want to place a bet on UFC Fight Night 172? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Karl Roberson vs. Marvin Vettori betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday, June 10 at 5:50 p.m. ET.

Vettori (-228) is favored rather heavily on the 2-way line, so it’s a good idea to either AVOID betting that straight up, or find a way to mix it into a two- or three-way parlay to mitigate the risk.

It’s best to take YES (-182): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? as it’s a little less chalk to eat, and really is the BEST BET for this bout. Vettori’s fights have been going the distance on a regular basis, while two of Roberson’s past four have gone the distance. As long as Vettori can avoid going down to the canvas, this fight has a more than good chance of being decided by the judges. OVER 2.5 rounds (-200) is a little more pricey, but gives you a little wiggle room should the fight end late in Round 3 rather than via decision. However, that wager is not recommended.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Vettori (-228) fetches a profit of just $4.39, while a $10 play on Yes (-182) on will the fight go the distance returns a profit of $5.50.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=2559]

UFC on ESPN 8: Eryk Anders vs. Krzysztof Jotko odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 8 fight between Eryk Anders and Krzysztof Jotko, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

[jwplayer ZeQosOyN]

Eryk Anders and Krzysztof Jotko square off in a middleweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN 8 – also known as ESPN Fight Night 172 – at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The card kicks off Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+.

Anders (13-4) enters just 3-4 across his past seven bouts, but he is coming off a split-decision victory over Gerald Meerschaert Oct. 12, 2019. Nine of Anders’ 17 professional fights have resulted in a KO/TKO, with eight victories, including a 3-1 mark at the UFC level. He isn’t keen on going to the canvas, as just one of his 17 career fights have ended by submission, with none at the UFC level.

Jotko (21-4) heads into this one with two straight decision victories, including a split-decision win over Marc-Andre Barriault at UFC 240. Eight of Jotko’s 12 UFC bouts have gone the distance, as he can be a bit methodical. In 25 career fights, he has a 1-1 mark via submission, including 0-1 at the UFC level. Neither of these fighters will be looking to go to the canvas, so look for a toe-to-toe slugfest.

Want to place a bet on UFC Fight Night? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NV, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Eryk Anders vs. Krzysztof Jotko betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday, May 14 at 6:15 a.m. ET.

JOTKO (-159) has won a pair of decision victories in the past two, and eight of his 12 fights at the UFC level have gone the distance. Not only should you BET JOTKO straight up on the 2-way line over Anders (+130), but taking YES (-159): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? is also a sound bet – and the juice isn’t too steep.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Jotko (-159) to win outright returns a profit of $6.29, with the same exact payout for the fight going the distance.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=2559]