Nurmagomedov vs. McGregor might be in the rearview mirror, but there are still some awesome fights coming up that demand your immediate attention. The UFC is making sure to close out the year strong, with some of its best fighters and biggest remaining stars. Today, we’re looking at some of the most compelling upcoming scraps and hooking you up with some early betting tips.
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Reminder: whenever there’s a huge matchup on the horizon, UFC odds at BookMaker.eu usually release shortly after – giving you more time to lock in favorable prices. Sportsbook action always picks up closer to fight night, and in many cases fighters who were once underdogs end up as the favorites.
In other cases, huge line movements can literally cost you chunks of earnings. Just to cover all your bases, live in-game UFC betting at BookMaker.eu always gives you the option to hedge your earlier bets, in case things aren’t working out in your favor.
Got it? Good. Now let’s get into some fights.
UFC 230, November 3
Derek Brunson +250 vs Israel Adesanya -333
Betting Analysis
Adesanya is about to take the Wrestler Test. If the name isn’t obvious enough, the Wrestler Test is when an electric striking prospect has proved that he’s a standup killer, but hasn’t proven whether he can survive the grind that an established wrestler imposes on opponents. It’s been a while since we’ve seen a middleweight as exciting as “The Last Stylebender”, and it’s already obvious that the dude can already style on pretty much anyone in a kickboxing bout.
For whatever reason, Brunson has fancied himself a slugger in recent years, but this is three-time Division II All-American in wrestling. Plus, when the two got into it at a recent press conference, Brunson kept bringing up how skinny Adesanya is. That sounds to me like a man who plans to wrap his arms around his waist and take him to the ground. Adesanya’s shown good takedown defense in the past, but Brunson’s the best wrestler he’s faced so far.
UFC Fight Night 139
Chan Sung Jung +175 vs Frankie Edgar -225
Betting Analysis
Each man owns a Fight of the Year and they’ve got gobs of post-fight bonuses between the two. This one could get crazy. But we’ve stated as a rule of thumb that you should probably side with the wrestler in a matchup, and oddsmakers definitely did so here. Edgar’s a sizeable favorite here, and we’ve seen him torch dudes once he gets on top of them.
The Korean Zombie is a massive 145-pounder, which might make it difficult for Edgar to take him down. He’s also one of the slickest submission fighters at featherweight, owning the only twister sub in MMA history. The storyline here is whether his flashy strikes and grappling can overcome Edgar’s technical mastery.
UFC Fight Night 141
Curtis Blaydes -260 vs Francis Ngannou +200
Betting Analysis
Times sure change quickly in MMA. In 2017, Ngannou was the most hyped heavyweight in years, looking like a killer while going full Tyson through his opponents. Then he got crushed by Miocic in a championship fight, and developed a case of the yips against Derrick Lewis – resulting in the worst heavyweight fight in UFC history.
Meanwhile, Blaydes has rapidly climbed the ranks with an excellent combination of athleticism, power and wrestling. These two met as undefeated prospects in 2016, with Ngannou getting a doctor stoppage after closing “Razor’s” eye. Blaydes is a much different fighter now, but dude’s gotta be careful – it’s not like Ngannou has forgotten how to punch. Though we generally lean on better wrestlers, Blaydes wasn’t effective against Ngannou and got tuned up on the feet. If Ngannou’s mind is right, he could definitely pull off the upset.
UFC 231, December 8
Joanna Jedrzejczyk -225 vs Valentina Shevchenko -285
Betting Analysis
These girls have met three times in Muay Thai competition, and each time Shevchenko walked away the winner. But MMA is an entirely different beast, and the former strawweight champion swears that she’s got what it takes to beat Valentina and take the 125-pound strap.
Oddsmakers aren’t so sure. Shevchenko was the No. 1 contender at 135 pounds, and now she’s facing a fighter that dominated at 115 pounds. Size matters in MMA, and it’s easy to see that Valentina is the bigger fighter here. Of course, Joanna might get even better if she doesn’t have to deal with a massive weight cut. If anything, this’ll be a crackerjack matchup between two expert kickboxers who happen to be among the best women fighters in the world.
UFC 232, December 29
Alexander Gustafsson +220 vs Jon Jones -300
Betting Analysis
The GOAT returns to face the man who gave him his toughest career challenge. Alexander Gustafsson gave Jones all he could handle when they first met in 2015, and now we get a rematch of one of the greatest fights in UFC history. How does Jones look after yet another long layoff? Will the fans get behind him or turn against him? Where the hell has Glover been – his last fight was only two months before Jones’.
Back when they fought, Jones was in peak douchebag mode, and word has it that he spent more time partying on cocaine than training. If Jonny Bones is now older, wiser and fully committed, we could see a totally different fight this time around. Oddsmakers aren’t taking any chances, installing the former champ as a huge favorite here.
Amanda Nunes +225 vs Cris “Cyborg” Justino -285
Betting Analysis
Duuuude, it’s about time we see Cyborg in a fight where she might actually be challenged. Nunes is the bantamweight division’s most explosive knockout artist, one of the few women who can legitimately sleep opponents with one punch. Cyborg has literally never faced that kind of fighter before.
But aside from that, we see why Justino is such a big favorite. While Nunes might equal her in the striking department, there’s not a single woman in the world that can match up with Cyborg in terms of strength, endurance and general savagery. Still, if Nunes’ line goes up more than she is definitely a ‘dog you want to bet on.
