After a week off, UFC is back this weekend with a very interesting Fight Night card that hardcore fans are going to be salivating about. The card is a little bit different in the fact that the headlining fight features two up and coming fighters who perhaps don’t have the big name of an experienced fighter that you normally see in a UFC main event. That said, the fight is so meaningful for both of these guys who are huge prospects in the bantamweight division that although Almeida and Garbrandt may not have the name recognition among casual MMA fans, us hardcore fans are all in for this Fight Night main event in a way much bigger than watching an over the hill big name fighter.
Almeida and Garbrandt are both just 24 years of age and are undefeated to this point in their careers. Needless to say the winner of this fight will shoot directly up into a title contender in the bantamweight division that is beginning to get a little bit cleaned out at the top.
Also on this card is Renan Barao moving up to featherweight to fight Jeremy Stephens, Tarec Saffiedine and Rick Story battling it out in an interesting fight between the #10 and #11 ranked welterweights and Aljamain Sterling taking on Bryan Caraway in another bantamweight fight between two ranked fighters. As much as their isn’t a really huge name on this card there are a ton of solid fights that I will be watching Sunday night.
All of the odds below are from BetOnline.ag, which is our top rated sportsbook for betting on MMA. Here’s a full review.
Cody Garbrandt vs Thomas Almeida
Both of these guys are big prospects in the UFC for good reason, with both guys ripping through opponents in the UFC on the regular. Almeida is on a streak of 3 finishes in the UFC, while Garbrandt has TKO’d two of his three UFC opponents to this point in time. That said, watching the fights Thomas Almeida just looks like the much more explosive striker of these two. He’s also faced much more seasoned and talented MMA fighters in the UFC with wins over Birchak, Pickett and Jabouin in his last three fights (all finishes). Garbrandt’s last two wins have come against Augusto Mendes and Henry Briones, both of who don’t even have a wikipedia page. He’s really been set up to win by the UFC as a good product of Team Alpha Male and this will really be his first fight against someone where he isn’t a massive favourite. I’m not sure how he will be able to deal with someone who has the speed and finishing ability of Almeida.
I’m taking Almeida to catch Cody “No Love” at some point in this fight for the finish.
Play: Almeida -155 @ BetOnline.ag
Jeremy Stephens vs Renan Barao
I’m actually shocked that Barao isn’t a bigger favourite in this fight. The guy won 4 fights as the Bantamweight Champion in the UFC and has only lost to TJ Dillashaw in his WEC or UFC career. His style just doesn’t match up well against the footwork and speed of Dillashaw, but Jeremy Stephens does not pose this type of threat. He’s a much more standard MMA fighter and Barao should be able to outclass him like he did against all the other big name fighters in the UFC including Faber (twice), Wineland, Pickett, Jorgensen and more.
Jeremy Stephens has lost 3 of his last 4 fights and his win came with a crazy TKO flying knee against Dennis Bermudez. He just doesn’t have what it takes to beat Barao unless he catches him with something crazy. Barao will get back to his winning ways with a KO of Stephens in this fight.
Play: Barao -185 @ BetOnline.ag
Bryan Caraway vs Aljamain Sterling
It’s interesting that this fight is headlining the Fight Pass prelims when these guys are ranked higher than Garbrandt and Almeida in the same division (Sterling #4 & Caraway #8). Sterling is a huge prospect in the UFC with a 13-0 record and submission wins over notable fighters in Johnny Eduardo and Takeya Mizugaki in his last two fights in the UFC. He’s been calling out Bryan Caraway for some time and he has finally got his wish.
That said, I think Caraway is a tough fight for Sterling. Caraway is a very smart fighter with good footwork and and a solid ground game that could pose a lot of trouble to Sterling. He’s not flashy, but he doesn’t put himself in a lot of danger and he can capitalize on mistakes.
I’m gonna go with the upset here and take Miesha Tate’s boyfriend hoping the success she has had rubs off on him.
Play: Caraway +305 @ BetOnline.ag
Rick Story vs Tarec Saffiedine
This is a very interesting fight between a couple of solid Welterweights. Rick Story hasn’t fought since his 2014 win over Gunnar Nelson, but he is a grinder who can pull out wins against any opponent. It just depends on which Rick Story shows up for the fight.
Tarec Saffiedine is coming off a big win over Jake Ellenberger in January and he’s now won 6 of his last 7 fights with his only loss coming to Rory MacDonald in that span back in 2014. Saffiedine is a very technical striker who likes to pull out decision wins.
I think the technical striking of Saffiedine will score points against Rick Story and that could be the difference in this fight. Ring rust may also play a factor for Story.
Play: Saffiedine -125 @ BetOnline.ag
Those are the biggest four fights on the card. To see the odds for all of the fights and to place your bets head over to BetOnline.ag.
Cody Garbrandt • Fight Night • Thomas Almeida • ufc betting