We finally get Ovince Saint Preux and Alonzo Menifield tangling in a light heavyweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN+ 34 Saturday at the UFC’s APEX Facility in Las Vegas. The prelims kick off at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, followed by the main card set for 8 p.m. ET.
Saint Preux (24-14) was supposed to fight Menifield (9-1) on the UFC on ESPN 15 main card, but that fight was scrapped due to a positive COVID-19 test result for Menifield. OSP was removed from the card and was not compensated for the fight, but this bout was quickly rebooked for this card.
Saint Preux towers three inches taller than Menifield with a four-inch reach advantage. The former University of Tennessee linebacker has developed into a polished fighter. He suffered a disappointing split-decision loss to Ben Rothwell last time out, and it easily could have gone the other way. He enters just 1-3 over the past four, and 5-7 across the past 12. However, four of those victories have been by submission and one by knockout, while eight of the past 12 have finished inside the distance. Win or lose, it’s always exciting with OSP.
Menifield (9-1) is trying to bounce back after a unanimous decision setback against Devin Clark at UFC 250 in his most recent fight. He has won two of his three bouts at the UFC level, and he has picked up eight wins in nine professional victories, with one coming via submission. OSP will be his most challenging opponent to date, however, and this will be a huge measuring stick fight to see how Menifield stacks up in a very deep weight class.
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Ovince Saint Preux vs. Alonzo Menifield betting odds
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 6:25 a.m. ET.
SAINT PREUX (+115) will come in on a bit of a cool streak, winning just once in the past four. He was a bit disappointed with his removal right before getting amped up for his last bout, but that’s how the cookie crumbles in the days of COVID. It will also be interesting to see how Menifield (-139) bounces back after self-isolation and any after effects of coronavirus. Take Saint Preux here, as there are just fewer question marks.
While taking OSP on the 2-way line is fine, look to the more specific fight props, too. Take SAINT PREUX BY KO/TKO, DQ or SUBMISSION (+187) on the 5-way line for a better bargain than just betting him straight up. Also, UNDER 2.5 ROUNDS (-176) is a strong bet as Saint Preux’s fights tend to be rather short, win or lose.
To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.
Also see:
- UFC on ESPN+ 34 predictions (MMA Junkie)
- 5 burning questions heading into ESPN+ 34 (MMA Junkie)
- MMA Junkie – The latest UFC/MMA coverage
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.
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