Written by :
Published on :
The top two contenders in the UFC flyweight division square off in a rematch for the vacant title in the headliner event of UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2. It was back at the end of February when Deiveson Figueiredo (18-1) and Joseph Benavidez (28-6) met for the first time with the vacant flyweight belt at stake. Figueiredo missed weight for that match and was ineligible to win the belt. The fight went on with Figueiredo getting a second-round stoppage win. However, no champion for the division was crowned. Bookmaker is offering a generous welcome bonus with a maximum of $1000
|
|
Fast forward a few months and the two are back at it. And you can bet Figueiredo will make the 125 pound limit to avoid the problems from last time out. Not only was he denied the belt, he forked over a percentage of his purse to his opponent making it a double whammy. The UFC Fight Island lineup contains 12 bouts with five of them on the main card. A middleweight clash between Jack Hermansson (20-5) and Kelvin Gastelum (16-5) serves as the co-main event, a matchup that would get attention as a headliner at most UFC Fight Night events. To whet your appetite for an explosive main card there will be seven prelim bouts.
Check out updated odds for every fight on Saturday’s UFC Fight Night card at BookMaker.eu and place your wager. The prelims air on ESPN and ESPN+ starting at 5 p.m. ET. The main card is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Main Card
Joseph Benavidez +165 vs. Deiveson Figueiredo -210
Jack Hermansson -104 vs. Kelvin Gastelum -125
Rafael Fiziev +127 vs. Marc Diakiese -160
Luana Carolina +100 vs. Ariane Lipski -130
Askar Askarov +165 vs. Alexandre Pantoja -210
Prelims
Khadis Ibragimov +150 vs. Roman Dolidze -190
Nad Narimani +194 vs. Grant Dawson -250
Joel Alvarez +282 vs. Joe Duffy -383
Brett Johns +158 vs. Montel Jackson -200
Malcolm Gordon +158 vs. Aleksandr Doskalchuk -200
Davi Ramos +158 vs. Arman Tsarukyan -200
Sergey Spivak -161 vs. Carlos Felipe +129
Joseph Benavidez (28-6, 8 KOs, 9 SUBs) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (18-1, 9 KOs, 6 SUBs)
With the flyweight strap on the on the line this is going to be a battle. However, look no further than the last bout to see why Figueiredo is the betting favorite. He stopped Benavidez with a second round TKO to win the match, but not the belt. As mentioned he failed to make weight and couldn’t win the title anyway. There was a weird sequence that took place before Figueiredo ended the match. The two knocked heads with Benavidez clearly getting the worst of it. It’s safe to say the KO probably wouldn’t have happened without it. UFC did the just thing by scheduling a rematch to decide who gets the belt. Benavidez caught a break since he wasn’t winning the last fight. He had no defense for Figueiredo and needs to make adjustments. With most of his punches being absorbed, the first fight showed Benavidez isn’t in the same class. He has a chance if he stretches the bout. Figueiredo is a bigger man and has to shed pounds to make weight. That makes him susceptible.
UFC Pick: Deiveson Figueiredo / SUB / 3rd Round
Jack Hermansson (20-5, 11 KOs, 5 SUBs) vs. Kelvin Gastelum (16-5, 6 KOs, 5 SUBs)
Top contenders in the middleweight class are looking to get back in the win column and advance toward a possible title shot, so yeah, there is plenty at stake in this fight. Both men are coming off losses – two for Gastelum – just adding to the importance. Fighting for the interim middleweight championship last year, Gastelum lost a unanimous decision to Israel Adesanya. His last outing was a split decision to Darren Till. There is a contrast in size in this match with Gastelum giving up four inches in height and six inches in reach. And Hermansson knows how to use the length to his advantage. Gastelum has the power in his punches and there are weaknesses to Hermansson’s game. However, getting past the reach to be effective isn’t happening.
UFC Pick: Jack Hermansson / Decision
Luana Carolina (6-1, 2 KOs, 1 SUB) vs. Ariane Lipski (12-5, 6 KOs, 2 SUBs)
Holding the flyweight title in Poland’s KSW promotion isn’t quite the same as fighting in the UFC, as Lipski is finding out. Her move to the octagon resulted in a pair losses where Lipski was outworked and took plenty of punishment. She got her first UFC win with a unanimous decision against overmatched Isabela de Padua last November and faces a much tougher opponent in Carolina. Also new to the octagon, Carolina has won six straight fights with unanimous decisions over Mabelly Lima in the Contender Series and Priscila Cachoeira. Carolina does her best work on the ground, which should worry Lipski. But if Lipski can stay on her feet this is her fight to win.
UFC Pick: Ariane Lipski / Decision
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker sportsbook! Real-time spreads, totals, props and money line are all available so start betting with BookMaker today.
- Phil Simon, Gambling911.com
