UFC Fight Night: <\/strong>Vicente Luque vs. Rafael dos Anjos<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhy Bet on Vicente Luque?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Despite coming off two losses, it\u2019s probably fair to argue that Vicente Luque has slightly more traction in the welterweight division right now. “The Silent Assassin” is ranked at No.10, and has finished the likes of Michael Chiesa, Tyron Woodley, and Belal Muhammad during his career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The TUF 21 veteran has some holes in his game, namely his takedown defense and his durability, but against most foes, they don\u2019t bother him too much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s because he\u2019s so offensively potent, possessing a killer instinct from every single area, and being one of the best finishers in MMA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Bet on Rafael dos Anjos?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Rafael dos Anjos is just as dangerous as his opponent in all areas. The No.9-ranked lightweight moved back up to 170 pounds late last year after suffering a KO at the hands of Rafael Fiziev and immediately made a splash, taking down Bryan Barberena via submission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once considered a one-dimensional grappler, “RDA” now possesses a brutally efficient kickboxing game, and is adept at taking his foes down, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vicente Luque vs. Rafael dos Anjos Betting Analysis:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
All-Brazilian fights in the UFC tend to be quite a rarity, but when they do happen, they usually produce fireworks. This one, in particular, is highly likely to go that way, because both of the men involved know no other way of fighting other than attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
RDA has been blanketed for four of his last five defeats, being held down by Colby Covington, Kamaru Usman, Leon Edwards, and Michael Chiesa. Those four fighters are largely capable of doing that to anyone, though, and it\u2019s unlikely that Luque will be capable of repeating that feat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead, it seems likely that this one will come down to which fighter can impose their will from an offensive standpoint first, and in that sense, “RDA” should probably be favored. He arguably doesn\u2019t hit quite as hard as Luque, but from a technical standpoint he\u2019s the superior striker, and he\u2019s also highly unlikely to get into danger on the ground with “The Silent Assassin”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Add in the fact that Luque has looked a little brittle in recent fights \u2013 probably down to the crazy amount of damage he\u2019s taken over the years \u2013 and the former lightweight kingpin is likely to take this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UFC Fight Night:<\/strong> Cub Swanson vs. Hakeem Dawodu<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhy Bet on Cub Swanson?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Cub Swanson who stands before you on Saturday is not the same man who fought in a UFC all-timer vs Doo-Hoo Choi or defeated the likes of Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier, and Jeremy Stephens. That elite contender is gone, but some of his instincts remain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Swanson’s game is about being fluid and fast. You can see those elements in his fights as he drops his hands, uses feints, and attacks with creative strikes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Bet on Hakeem Dawodu?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
“Mean Hakeem” has seen seven of his nine UFC fights go the distance, which suggests it’s wise to pick Dawodu by decision. The Canadian has an excellent chin and maintains a pretty good offensive output through his fights. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cub Swanson vs. Hakeem Dawodu Betting Analysis:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Swanson has pushed a harder pace recently with four straight fights (two wins, two losses) ending inside the distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’ll be interesting to see how Dawodu responds to a blitz from the American man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Swanson’s got a more violent upside, and we like his chances to win inside the distance or even by a damage-versus-strikes decision, so we are placing our bet right on him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UFC Fight Night:<\/strong> Khalil Rountree vs. Chris Daukaus<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhy Bet on Khalil Rountree?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Rountree Jr. has long been an advocate of pure Muay Thai training in MMA, having spent immense time in Thailand sharpening his world-class striking. Khalil is coming off of three straight victories, including two massive finishes via leg kick and body kick as well as a highly contested war with Dustin Jacoby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Bet on Chris Daukaus?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
After three straight KO losses at heavyweight, Chris Daukaus looks to revamp his career one division down. While the skill and technical boxing of the Philadelphian has always been there, he has largely been undersized and felt the power of the more natural heavyweights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Khalil Rountree vs. Chris Daukaus Betting Analysis:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Rountree is an entertaining but frustrating fighter to watch. He has such immense physical gifts and a real aptitude for Muay Thai, it feels like he should be a top contender in such a weak division. Sometimes, he looks spectacular, and others, he underwhelms against mediocre opposition. Hopefully, his current win streak is evidence that he\u2019s turned a corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As for Daukaus, he quickly climbed up the Heavyweight ladder on the strength of hand speed and power. Unfortunately, the Top 10 proved a difficult nut to crack, as his three trips into the cage opposite elite competition resulted in brutal knockout losses. Hopefully, his chin can hold up to heavy shots a bit better against smaller men as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This feels like a kickboxing match, and Rountree is the more durable man with equally huge power who also has a larger variety of offense weapons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UFC Fight Night:<\/strong> Polyana Viana vs. Iasmin Lucindo<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhy Bet on Polyana Viana?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Viana is a finisher. She has some surprising power on her feet, but the jiu-jitsu black belt is best known for her submission prowess. That said, she has struggled with opponents who can take her down repeatedly and avoid her guard work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Bet on Iasmin Lucindo?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
At 21 years of age, Lucindo is a legitimate prospect at 115 lbs. She\u2019s a Judo black belt with a solid submission game, but she also proved in her debut against Yazmin Jauregui that she can throw down if need be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Polyana Viana vs. Iasmin Lucindo Betting Analysis:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
It would probably be in Viana\u2019s best interest to keep this one standing. Lucinda throws wild and wide at a good clip, but she has yet to show the power of Viana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Likely, if the two trade for extended periods, Viana is going to land the most impactful shots. I don\u2019t know that Lucindo will give her that choice, however. She\u2019s not a dominant wrestler necessarily, but her clinch trips are probably good enough to drag her down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At that point, it becomes a question of whether or not Viana can lock up an armbar from the bottom before the time runs out, and we believe that she may be able to achieve the finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UFC Fight Night:<\/strong> Tafon Nchukwi vs. AJ Dobson<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhy Bet on Tafon Nchukwi?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tafon \u201cDa Don\u201d Nchukwi, 28, is 6-3 as a professional and 2-3 following a Dana White\u2019s Contender Series win in 2020. The first two times Nchukwi fought a pure striker he pushed a solid pace, fought on his front foot well, and landed with respectable speed and power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, in his most recent two fights against primary strikers, Nchukwi fought with a significant decrease in volume, primarily as a counter striker off his back foot, and looked to land a single powershot rather than combinations. In both of those fights, \u201cDa Don\u201d was knocked out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Bet on AJ Dobson?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
AJ Dobson, 31, also has minimal professional experience with a 6-2 record. He\u2019s also lost his last 2 fights, but both have come by decision. He has not won either of his UFC fights despite showing an ability to be well-rounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In his debut, he was out-struck and consistently out-grappled against a cardio-heavy and gritty fighter with quality experience. Then, in his next fight, Dobson again was out-struck but landed his offensive wrestling consistently. In both cases, his undoing was his unwillingness, or inability, to throw in volume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tafon Nchukwi vs. AJ Dobson Betting Analysis:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Dobson has struggled to find his footing inside the Octagon, losing his first two showings. He\u2019s shown a reasonably rounded game, but in both defeats, he failed to take specialists out of their areas of expertise. Nchukwi, meanwhile, is a physical talent that remains rough around the edges. He\u2019s also jumping between 205- and 185-pounds, which has limited his ability to build momentum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dobson prefers to take opponents down, but Nchukwi seems strong and sturdy enough to keep this one on the feet. In that case, is his marginal technique advantage enough to outwit Nchukwi\u2019s significant edges in athleticism and volume? Probably not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It doesn\u2019t hurt that Nchukwi has more experience against stiffer competition as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UFC Fight Night:<\/strong> Josh Fremd vs. Jamie Pickett<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhy Bet on Josh Fremd?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Fremd was soundly outwrestled in his first pair of fights but did rebound well last time, picking up a pair of his takedowns en route to a guillotine finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Josh, who had failed to secure a win in his two UFC outings, turned things around and defeated Dumas with a guillotine choke in the second round. With the victory, Fremd extended his MMA record to 10-4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He\u2019s got decent kickboxing and has finished four opponents via knockout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Bet on Jamie Pickett?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pickett has good physical skills but hasn\u2019t consistently managed to turn them into victories. He\u2019s a definite Jack of all trades, master of none. In his last fight, he faced Bo Nickal and lost via submission in the first round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But “The Nightwolf” later claimed that it was an illegal knee to the groin from Nickal that left him compromised and resulted in the loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Josh Fremd vs. Jamie Pickett Betting Analysis:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
On the feet, Fremd seems to hold an advantage. He hits a bit harder and just seems more willing to initiate exchanges and find big shots. The question then becomes if Pickett can replicate the success of Anthony Hernandez or Tresean Gore by throwing him to the floor and dominating from there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The second half sounds unlikely. We could see Pickett scoring a takedown or two, but he\u2019s going to have a difficult time holding Fremd down, and takedowns without much control are an exhausting way to fight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So long as Fremd remains intent on working back to his feet, he should be able to edge exchanges and pick up the decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UFC Fight Night:<\/strong> Marcus McGhee vs. JP Buys<\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhy Bet on Marcus McGhee?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Marcus McGhee (7-1) suffered his first professional loss in his fifth fight but swiftly bounced back with a pair of finishes. He then stepped up on three days\u2019 notice to battle Journey Newsom in his UFC debut, clubbing and subbing the Octagon veteran in the second round to claim \u201cPerformance of the Night.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Six of his seven professional stoppages have come via knockout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Bet on JP Buys?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The triumphant return of J.P. Buys (9-5) \u2014 about 2.5 years after imploding against Joby Sanchez on Contender Series \u2014 saw him finish Jacob Silva to earn a UFC contract. He\u2019s still chasing his first Octagon victory, having dropped three straight and suffered two stoppage losses along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marcus McGhee vs. JP Buys Betting Analysis:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s so frustrating about Buys is that he has the skills to be a genuine threat. His chain wrestling is downright beautiful, but he just seems to mentally disintegrate at the first sign of adversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even if he\u2019s physically durable enough to survive a beating from the gigantic Montel Jackson, he\u2019s shown no ability to turn a bad situation around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s not the best issue to have against a truly vicious body puncher, especially one who\u2019s bigger than him and has shown off stout takedown defense. In short, McGhee beats him into submission before the halfway point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n