After a 1-week hiatus, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is back on Saturday from their Apex Training Center in Las Vegas. There will once again be no fans in the stands due to Covid-19 social distancing, but that doesn’t mean UFC on ESPN 9 betting won’t deliver.
The main card is headlined by Tyron Woodley’s (-175) return to the octagon vs. the red hot Gilbert Burns (+145). There are back-to-back women’s matches on the night and a heavyweight battle as the co-main event. Let’s get to the main card breakdown:
Mackenzie Dern (-400) vs. Hannah Cifers (+300)
It’s consecutive women’s matches as Mackenzie Dern (7-1) kicks off the main card vs. Hannah Cifers (10-4) after Shevchenko vs. Chookagian wraps up the prelims. Dern is a gigantic favorite in this bout despite suffering her 1st UFC loss way back in October to Amanda Ribas – but that was 4 months after giving birth! 4 of Dern’s 7 wins have come via submission, what she is predicting against Cifers, who was KO’d in the 2nd her last fight in January. Cifers has been KO’d in 2 of her 4 fights in the UFC
Pick: Under 1.5 rounds (+110)
Roosevelt Roberts (-360) vs. Brok Weaver (+270)
The 9-1 Roosevolt Roberts is a huge favorite over 15-4 Brok Weaver even though the two match up pretty well on paper. The two have the same arm and leg reach and only 2 years and 1″ in height separate them. Roberts has 4 total fights in the UFC (3-1) with the last three going to a decision (2-1). Weaver won his UFC debut in February only after illegal knees from Kazula Vargas ended in a late 1st round DQ.
Pick: Roberts by decision +120
Billy Quarantillo (-125) vs. Spike Carlyle (-105)
Billy Quarantillo (13-2) comes out of quarantine in what should be a very entertaining fight in UFC on ESPN betting vs. Spike Carlyle (9-1). Both fighters have just one UFC fight under their belt and each ended it early – Quarantillo with a 2nd round SUB and Carlyle with a 1:25 TKO (punches). The fight was made on short notice and will be a catchweight fight since Carlyle struggled to cut to 145 pounds. Oddsmakers are calling this one an early night (does not go 2 rounds -135) but expect both to be a bit more conservative with all the weirdness surrounding this bout.
Pick: Fight to Complete 2 rounds -105
Blagoy Ivanov (-110) vs. Augusto Sakai (-120)
The co-headliner in UFC on ESPN 9 betting sees 5’11”, 250 pound southpaw Blagoy Ivanov matching up with 6’3″, 265 pound Augusto Sakai. The tale of the tape does favor Sakai who has 15 pounds and 4″ of height and reach over his opponent. Sakai is also 3-0 since entering the UFC with two KOs including 0:59 into the match with Marcin Tybura his last fight (Sept 2019). Ivanov is 2-2 in his 4 UFC fights with all going to a decision.
Pick: Sakai -120
Tyron Woodley (-175) vs. Gilbert Burns (+145)
Tyron Woodley (19-4-1) almost seems like a weird favorite, let alone -175, ahead of Saturday night’s bout with Gilbert Burns (18-3). This will be Woodley’s first trip to the octagon since losing his welterweight belt to Kamaru Usman back in March of 2019. Burns meanwhile has rattled off 5 wins in a row and seems to be surging in momentum after KO’ing Demian Maia in the 1st round on March 14th
The big question is whether the loss to Usman was a hiccup for the previously dominant 38-year-old Woodley or the beginning of the end? Burns is no ‘young buck’ at 34-years-old, but he is on a nice run right now – not to mention he has the experience of fighting without a crowd at back in mid-March). Have to take momentum and avoid the long layoff from ‘The Chosen One’ Woodley, especially with that ROI.
Pick: Gilbert Burns +145
