Point of interest: Odds and opinions

The oddsmakers and public seem to be ever-so-slightly favoring the Serra-Longo product, listing Sterling -115 and Sandhagen -105 as of this writing.

Not only is this the fight I’m most looking forward to on Saturday, but it’s also the hardest for me to call.

Considering the wrestling and experience edge on paper, I don’t disagree with Sterling being slightly favored. However, as someone who absolutely loves Sandhagen’s style, I warn anyone picking this fight with confidence.

Both fighters show a strong trend of fight-to-fight improvements, as I will be leaving room to be surprised come Saturday. But if forced to make a pick, then it’s hard not to favor Sterling. Between the Serra-Longo fighter finally getting his nagging wrist repaired (which he admitted was hindering his wrestling ability) to the fact that this will be a three-round affair inside the small cage, I can’t help but suspect that those conditions benefit Sterling.

Should Sterling be the stronger wrestler, then I see him edging out the scorecards. But if Sterling fails to ground Sandhagen early and often, then we will likely see the Colorado native counter the New Yorker’s kicks in order to pull away down the stretch. Either way, I’m predicting we get a competitive 15 minutes regardless of whose hand is raised at the end.

Prediction: Sterling by decision

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