In a stellar showdown that promises strong emotions, Roman Dolidze will face Anthony Hernandez in a middleweight main event at UFC Fight Night this Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Dolidze, ranked number 10 in the middleweight rankings, comes into this fight with a three-fight winning streak, most recently over Marvin Vettori.
For his part, Hernandez, who is not currently ranked but was in the top 10, holds an impressive streak of seven consecutive victories. His last victory was by unanimous decision over Brendan Allen.
This highly anticipated match, which was originally scheduled for last year, had to be canceled due to an injury to Hernandez.
I stick to my choice of “underdog”, even though I don’t always trust Dolidze. He’s not always the most strategic fighter, but I think he has the best guard in MMA. If he gets taken down, it’s not a big deal. He doesn’t even need to fight the takedown, because when he’s on the ground, he just presents new problems for Hernandez. Dolidze’s guard will give Hernandez problems.
Din Thomas
Betting AnalysisHernandez to win (-350); over 2.5 rounds (+160).
Capitalizing on his impressive winning streak, Hernandez enters this match as the clear favorite against Dolidze. If you like Hernandez’s price, make him the anchor of your parlay. Otherwise, bet on Hernandez to win and the fight to last over 2.5 rounds. The price of this outcome will decrease drastically. As good as Dolidze has been during his own winning streak, I don’t know how he can win this fight. Unless he can knock out Hernandez early, I expect Hernandez to establish a chaotic pace that will slow down Dolidze as the fight progresses. If a finish occurs, I would look for it in Round 4 or 5.
Best Bets for the Rest of the Card
Ode’ Osbourne, a la izquierda, se enfrenta a Steve Erceg en una categoría de peso superior en peso gallo.Bantamweight: Steve Erceg vs. Ode’ Osbourne
Erceg to win by submission or decision. “Astroboy” Erceg comes in as a big favorite over Osbourne. Erceg is coming off a three-fight losing streak, but fell to three of the top five flyweights in the divisional rankings. Erceg, who fights Osbourne at 135 pounds, should be able to get back on the winning track on Saturday. Erceg is the better striker in this matchup, but he has to be careful of Osbourne’s power, who is coming off a knockout victory over Luis Gurule in April. Erceg’s biggest advantage will be on the ground, where Osbourne has had a lot of trouble.Peso Pluma: Christian Rodriguez vs. Andre Fili
Rodriguez to win (-235); over 1.5 rounds. Six of Rodriguez’s eight UFC fights have gone to decision, and on Saturday he faces an experienced veteran who is durable and can maintain a fast pace. However, I believe Fili is in the declining phase of his career, while Rodriguez is still growing. Expect Rodriguez to push the pace and lean on his grappling approach, taking away any chance for Fili to land a knockout blow. Betting on Rodriguez to win and the fight to last over 1.5 rounds will significantly reduce the line.Welterweight: Gilbert Urbina vs. Uros Medic
Urbina to win (+325). Medic is a heavy favorite, despite coming off a first-round knockout loss to Punahele Soriano in January. Urbina has shown at times that he can be an absolute monster, and Medic has not fared well with applied pressure. Urbina will also have the advantage in the fight, if he can control his gas tank correctly. So, do I think Medic should be the favorite? Sure. But this big? No way. I’m going to bet on the underdog, who I think actually has a path to victory.
