UFC Fight Night 43 Date: June 28, 2014 Arena: Vector Arena City: Auckland, New Zealand UFC Fight Night 43 will be live on Saturday with 10 scheduled bouts, including a four fight main card that will be streaming live on UFC Fight Pass at 5pm ET. If interested in wagering on these preliminary bouts, or any others on this fight card, these lines will be made available to you at Several Bookmakerss. Here are my preliminary card plays for UFC Fight Night 43 in New Zealand… Welterweight bout: Dashon Johnson (+105) vs Jake Matthews (-135) Gabe’s Thoughts: This is a match-up between a pair of promotional newcomers. However, Matthews competed for Team Australia on TUF: Nations. Both of these welterweights are undefeated, but it is Matthews who has faced and defeated the better opposition. Matthews, while not that great of a fighter, is the biggest challenge of Johnson’s professional mixed martial arts career. There are a lot of question marks surrounding this bout, but I do favor the Aussie to get his hand raised. Gabe’s Call: Matthews by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Gabe’s Recommended Play: Matthews (-135) 1.35u to win 1u Welterweight bout: Chris Indich (-105) Vik Grujic (-125) Gabe’s Thoughts: After coming up short in their promotional debuts at the TUF: Nations finale, these Aussie’s will be getting another shot in the Octagon. Grujic competed at middleweight in his last outing, but will be fighting in his right weight class of 170-pounds for this bout. While very tough and full of heart, I have a hard time seeing Indich as anything more than punching bag. Grujic is no world-beater, but I think he will manage to outpoint the younger Aussie en route to picking up a unanimous decision victory on the judges’ scorecards. I expect him to mix in takedowns and use his ground and pound for the majority of the rounds. Gabe’s Call: Grujic by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Gabe’s Recommended Play: Grujic (-125) 3.25u to win 2.6u Welterweight bout: Neil Magny (-280) vs Rodrigo Goiana De Lima (+220) Gabe’s Thoughts: De Lima is taking this fight on short notice and without a doubt has the biggest test he has yet to face ahead of him. Magny is the most challenging opponent he has yet to face in his professional mixed martial arts career. Magny is constantly improving, and I think he will continue to cruise in this match-up. This height and reach will certainly play a factor; I feel there is the possibility of him earning his first Octagon stoppage in this bout, but if not- I foresee is comfortable 30-27 unanimous nod on the judges’ scorecards. Gabe’s Call: Magny by TKO (strikes, 3:34, round 3) Gabe’s Recommended Play: Neil Magny (-280) parlayed with Gian Villante (-300) for -124 4.2u to win 3.4u Light heavyweight bout: Gian Villante (-300) vs Sean O’Connell (+240) Gabe’s Thoughts: Simply put, I think Villante is going to prove to be too big and too strong for Villante. I see him outboxing and outwrestling him en route to a TKO finish. Gabe’s Call: Villante by TKO (punches, 4:12, round 1) Gabe’s Recommended Play: Gian Villante (-300) parlayed with Neil Magny (-280) for -124 4.2u to win 3.4u
