UFC Fight Night: <\/strong>Cory Sandhagen vs. Rob Font<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhy Bet on Cory Sandhagen?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Cory Sandhagen is the No. 4-ranked bantamweight contender and most recently defeated Marlon Vera by a split decision in March. He was submitted by current champ Aljamain Sterling in a bantamweight title eliminator in 2020 but bounced back with knockout victories against Marlon Moraes and Frankie Edgar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After losing a controversial split decision to T.J. Dillashaw, he was given an interim title shot against Petr Yan but came up short in a 25-minute battle which earned Fight of the Night honors. Since then, he’s defeated Song Yadong and Vera to get back in the championship picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Bet on Rob Font?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Rob Font is at No. 7 in the rankings and is fresh off a first-round knockout victory against Adrian Yanez in April that earned him a Performance of the Night bonus. That snapped a two-fight skid for him, who previously lost by unanimous decision in five-round main events against Marlon Vera and Jose Aldo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 36-year-old has compiled a 10-5 record inside the octagon with seven of those wins coming by stoppage. He’s a high-volume striker that relies on his crisp boxing, pressure, and cardio to defeat opponents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cory Sandhagen vs. Rob Font Betting Analysis:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Font is a good striker but he’s heavily reliant on his boxing while Sandhagen has more weapons in his arsenal, including dangerous kicks, knees, and elbows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Font is also at his best against fighters that move in a straight line so Sandhagen’s lateral movement and creative angles will make it tough for him to get into rhythm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another reason we like Sandhagen to get the win is his underrated grappling game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sandhagen has been trying to implement his wrestling more in recent fights which includes three takedowns on Vera and taking down Petr Yan once on six attempts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Font doesn’t have the best defensive wrestling and Sandhagen’s ability to control him on the mat and unleash ground-and-pound is another path to victory. We will take the younger fighter with more tools. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
UFC Fight Night: <\/strong>J\u00e9ssica Andrade vs. Tatiana Suarez<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhy Bet on J\u00e9ssica Andrade?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Andrade\u2019s risk-taking backfired in more ways than one recently. First, she jumped in on short notice against Erin Blanchfield back up at 125 pounds, and she got strangled for her bravery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then, she tried to march down Yan Xiaonan and got cracked for her efforts. Still, Andrade remains a powerhouse with dangerous submission skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Bet on Tatiana Suarez?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Suarez was clearly on the route to the belt until injuries sidelined her for nearly four years. Before returning, Suarez was a nearly unstoppable wrestler, but she has yet to prove she remains at that level against top competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
J\u00e9ssica Andrade vs. Tatiana Suarez Betting Analysis:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Were it still 2019, we would have sided with Suarez in a heartbeat. She truly looked unbeatable, the rare situation where Khabib comparisons were not baseless. A whole bunch of surgeries later, we are distinctly less confident. We\u2019ve all seen wrestlers hamstrung by a wonky knee or bad back, and at 32, we\u2019re starting to enter now-or-never territory for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even so, we are backing her up here. The book is written on Andrade, who has never fared well when placed on her back. Suarez isn\u2019t going to back up, which tends to be when the Brazilian\u2019s best shots land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead, she\u2019ll get wrestling right away, and based on recent history, Andrade will make a mistake at the bottom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UFC Fight Night: <\/strong>Dustin Jacoby vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhy Bet on Dustin Jacoby?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Jacoby fell flat in his first UFC stint, but he developed his skills as a professional kickboxer before returning to the Octagon up a weight class. He\u2019s now a more powerful and composed striker, and his takedown defense has come a long way as well, making him a solid gatekeeper to the top portion of the division.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Bet on Kennedy Nzechukwu?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Nzechukwu, meanwhile, is a major physical talent still learning to use all his tools. He\u2019s at his best when swarming opponents in close distance, where his size and strength are most effective at creating major collisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dustin Jacoby vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu Betting Analysis:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
This match-up reminds us of a famous Royce Gracie quote, \u201cA black belt only covers two inches of your ass. You have to cover the rest.\u201d That\u2019s how we feel about Jacoby\u2019s professional kickboxing experience in this regard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sure, it sounds great on paper, but will it will not matter much when he\u2019s a little tired, and Nzechukwu is in his face, throwing hard elbows and punches-in-bunches. Kennedy has overcome strikers more technical than himself previously, and he\u2019s riding good momentum into this one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Likely, \u201cThe African Savage\u201d keeps it going here and continues another rung up the rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UFC Fight Night: <\/strong>Gavin Tucker vs. Diego Lopes<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhy Bet on Gavin Tucker?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tucker has proven himself a very skilled combatant in a fairly small amount of fights. A jiu-jitsu black belt with an effective wrestler and good kickboxing offense from both stances, he is comfortable wherever the fight goes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Bet on Diego Lopes?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Lopes impressed everyone with his short-notice debut against Movsar Evloev, taking it to the unbeaten Russian on the feet and the floor. He spent a little too much time on the bottom and grew fatigued as the fight wore on, but it was still a top-notch debut given the level of competition and preparation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gavin Tucker vs. Diego Lopes Betting Analysis:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
There are two paths to victory for Tucker here. On one hand, he could look to wrestle and navigate the dangerous waters of Lopes\u2019 guard. Alternatively, he could keep his distance, deny any takedowns that come his way, and try to outwork the Brazilian newcomer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both could work, but both feel very dangerous. Lopes just appears to be the more serious finishing threat. He\u2019s also nearly a decade younger and has significant advantages in height and reach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a match-up where Tucker will have to be perfect, whereas Lopes just needs to find one big moment to shift the fight in his favor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UFC Fight Night: <\/strong>Tanner Boser vs. Aleksa Camur<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhy Bet on Tanner Boser?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Boser has lost four of his last five fights, mostly in an underwhelming fashion. He\u2019s got a good distance kickboxing game that capitalizes on his quickness \u2014 an advantage his drop to Light Heavyweight may have eliminated \u2014 but his takedown defense remains a liability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Bet on Aleksa Camur?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Camur is best known for being Stipe Miocic\u2019s training partner. He\u2019s not accomplished much yet in his short UFC career, but he\u2019s proven himself a decent striker with finishing power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tanner Boser vs. Aleksa Camur Betting Analysis:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s worrying that Boser was pretty quickly dispatched by an Ion Cutelaba 1-2. If he can\u2019t handle the speed of smaller men, his size advantage is going to mean very little.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After all, Boser is not a huge hitter himself. Mostly, he relies on volume and distance striking to win decisions, occasionally sitting down more on counter shots. Fortunately, Camur is a good test for whether this Light Heavyweight idea has any legs. If Boser gets cracked here, it\u2019s time to beef back up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
More likely, he\u2019s able to play the outskirts of the Octagon well, and Camur\u2019s aggression and volume will lead him into the heaviest shots of the night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UFC Fight Night: <\/strong>Ignacio Bahamondes vs. \u013dudov\u00edt Klein<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhy Bet on Ignacio Bahamondes?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bahamondes has unexpectedly turned into a pretty exciting prospect. The 25-year-old Chilean talent throws an absurd amount of strikes, putting the pace on his opponents and throwing shots from all ranges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Bet on \u013dudov\u00edt Klein?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Klein is a quality striker himself, a Southpaw who can advance or counter fluidly. Of the two, he\u2019s also more likely to mix a takedown into his arsenal. He, however, pretty much lost his previous fight until his opponent Jai Herbert lost a point in the third round and got the fight tied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ignacio Bahamondes vs. \u013dudov\u00edt Klein Betting Analysis:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The question here is whether or not Klein\u2019s footwork is good enough to allow him to pick and choose when to engage with Bahamondes. Neither seems likely to stop the other, which means that in a likely kickboxing match, where volume is key.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Historically, Bahamondes throws much more, so it\u2019s up to Klein to limit exchanges, lands the bigger shots, and punish him for his aggression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
John Makdessi managed it, and he\u2019s not a world-beater. Still, Bahamondes\u2019 edges in reach and volume are going to be difficult to overcome fully. Truthfully, we expect a close fight, one where one or two big lands sway the judges, and we think it’d be in Bahamondes’ favor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UFC Fight Night: <\/strong>Raoni Barcelos vs. Kyler Phillips<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhy Bet on Raoni Barcelos?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Raoni Barcelos (17-4) kicked off his UFC career with a \u201cFight of the Night\u201d finish of Kurt Holobaugh, kicking off a 5-0 run in the world\u2019s largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion. He\u2019s now 1-3 in his last four and was last seen suffering a one-punch knockout loss to Umar Nurmagomedov in Jan. 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He\u2019s knocked out eight professional foes and submitted two others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Bet on Kyler Phillips?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Kyler Philips (10-2) torched James Gray on Contender Series to earn a spot on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 27, where he promptly lost a decision to Brad Katona. He ultimately joined UFC two years later, racking up a 4-1 record with three post-fight bonuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He steps in for the injured Said Nurmagomedov on around two weeks\u2019 notice for his first fight in 18 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Raoni Barcelos vs. Kyler Phillips Betting Analysis:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
We would honestly still favor Barcelos over many UFC Bantamweights. Indeed, we fully expected him to run over Miles Johns before the latter withdrew at the eleventh hour. With his recent struggles, though, we are not sure he has it in him to beat Phillips. He had tons of issues with a fast, versatile striker in Timur Valiev and failed to keep up with Victor Henry, suggesting the younger Phillips can out-hustle him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Phillips does have some lingering questions after his United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) suspension and will struggle with Barcelos\u2019 boxing if he\u2019s at all rusty. That said, he should still have enough weapons in his arsenal to edge the Brazilian out in a high-octane striking match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n