This week the UFC heads back home to its Apex Centre in Vegas. After getting off to a flying start last week, tipping Fabricco Werdum’s upset submission in the first round, Robbie Whittaker couldn’t quite secure the required finish and ultimately left his victory to the hands of the judges. We’ll look to capitalise a little more on the 1 unit profit earned last week.
Edmen Shahbazyan ($1.3) vs Derek Brunson ($3.7)
Normally when fighters get out to these odds it’s silly not consider all possibilities, after all it is a fight and anything can happen. Raging favourite Shahbazyan has been crowned the next young prodigy of the Middleweight divison. At the age of 22, he has already set himself the goal of becoming the youngest ever UFC champion, to do so he will have to eclipse the goat of the sport, Jon Jones.
He puts his undefeated 11-0 record on the line in what is by far his toughest test to date, against experienced veteran and #8 contender Derek Brunson, making it the first top 10 opponent for the up and comer.
For the past few years, Brunson has served as somewhat of a gatekeeper to those wishing to enter the top ten of the rankings. He has been shut down by Israel Adesanya and Robbie Whittaker on their way to Middleweight gold but has also stopped the likes of Ian Heinisch and Uriah Hall on their way up.
Shahbazyan has shown he is all class in recent first round stoppages of Tavares, Marshman and Byrd in his last three fights. Whilst this is a huge step up, he has proven he has the tools in all areas to keep progressing towards the top 5 of the rankings. Both men have a record of first round finishes so that may be an avenue for exotic punters to have a look in here.
Shabazyan is too short to back as a standout but we are confident enough in the short odds on offer to parlay him into another fight.
- Tip: Edmen Shahbazyan
- Click Here To Get Top Odds With TopSport
Vincente Luque ($1.5) vs Randy Brown ($2.6)
Brazil’s Vincente Luque has proven he is one of the class strikers in the Welterweight division. His boxing and chin look like they could take him into the top 5 of the division and this looks like the perfect stepping stone against Randy ‘Rude Boy’ Brown.
Luque has been 8-2 in his last 10 fights as he has risen through the rankings. His only two losses have been against top-level opponents in Stephen Thompson and Leon Edwards. Interestingly, he has 2 wins against Niko Price, a man that defeated Brown in between those bouts. MMA math is not known for always formulating but both men’s performances against Price from a 3 fight sample size is enough confidence to lead with ‘The Silent Assassin” in a big parlay with Shahbazyan.
- Tip: Vincente Luque
- Bet: Parlay/Multi- Luque/Shahbazyan @$2 8 units
- Click Here To Get Top Odds With TopSport
