UFC Fight Night 57 Date: November 22, 2014 Arena: Frank Erwin Center City: Austin, TX Flyweight bout: Dustin Ortiz (+370) vs Joseph Benavidez (-415) Fight Breakdown: The main card for UFC Fight Night 57 in Austin will feature a flyweight contest between Roufusport MMA’s Dustin Ortiz and Team Alpha Male’s Joseph Benavidez, with Ortiz being the betting underdog at+370 ($100 to win $370) and Benavidez being the favorite to win at -415 ($415 to win $100) at Several Bookmakerss. Dustin Ortiz (14-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC) is entering this bout riding a two fight winning streak, which would have been a seven fight winning streak, if not for a controversial split decision loss to John Moraga. That said, I personally scored his recent split decision wins over Ray Borg and Justin Scoggins for both Borg and Scoggins, but all of these fights have been very close, so you can’t really complain either way. Ortiz is a very aggressive fighter who likes to put the pressure on his opponents. He possesses some good takedowns and is very relentless with them. He is heavy from top position and works a solid ground and pound. To compliment his wrestling, the Tennessee native is also good on the feet. He has some nice kicks and loves to implement his knees, especially when he has his opponents pressed up against the cage. Ortiz likes to switch stances, and has decent footwork and head movement; with every fight, he feels more at home inside the Octagon, and it has shown in his performances. The 25 year old has a nice overhand-right and he puts together some solid combinations on the feet. His defense is on point, both on the feet and on the mat, but especially in the grappling department, as he has very good takedown defense, as well as submission defense. Ortiz has never been submitted in his professional mixed martial arts career, nor has he been knocked out. He is a resilient fighter who possesses a great chin and is tough to put away. Training out of Roufusport MMA in Milwaukee, WI under the tutelage of head striking coach Duke Roufus, Ortiz is a well-conditioned athlete who will be prepared for three full rounds of action when he squares off against the two-time flyweight title contender this evening. Joseph Benavidez (20-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) bounced back from the first knockout loss of his professional mixed martial arts career at UFC 172 with a first round guillotine choke victory over Timothy Elliott, and it was one of the more impressive guillotine chokes in recorded history, as he had his opponent Elliott’s arms trapped, thus forcing him to tapout with his feet. Now back in the win column, “Joe B” will be looking to make it two in a row at 125 pounds against Ortiz this evening, as he has his sights set on a third shot at the division’s gold. The Team Alpha Male product is an incredible athlete who excels in every aspect of mixed martial arts. He is a solid striker who has been consistently showing improvements in the department, as well as a tremendously talented wrestler who possesses great takedowns and a heavy top game, as well as phenomenal submissions, including a guillotine choke that would force just about anyone to tap. The 30 year old has fast and heavy hands, which is the reason is he able to score so many knockouts in the flyweight division. He owns a vicious cross and likes to throw powerful hooks. He likes going for the uppercut any time he sees an opening for it. Training out of Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, CA, the WEC veteran is a very well-conditioned athlete who will be ready for three rounds of action, if necessary. Gabe’s Thoughts: I like Benavidez to win here, but I don’t like him for a straight-up wager at the current odds. That said, I don’t see enough value in Ortiz at these odds to make a play, either. However, I do think there is a fair chance that this fight ends in under two and a half rounds, so I think the line for that at +155 offers value worth playing. Gabe’s Call: Benavidez by Submission (guillotine choke, 2:03 round 2) Gabe’s Recommended Play: Under 2.5 rounds (+155) 2u to win 3.1u
