MMA oddsmaker Nick Kalikas recently released the full preliminary card betting odds for UFC 181 at Several Bookmakers. Here’s a preview of the evening’s six-fight preliminary card. Urijah Faber vs. Francisco Rivera The main event of the preliminary card is a bantamweight bout between Urijah Faber and Francisco Rivera. Faber opened at -405 with Rivera at +285, and now Faber is -425 with Rivera at +340. I really like Faber in this matchup and honestly, I think he should be about -700 here. Rivera is a solid bantamweight with knockout power, but his wrestling is poor and I just see Faber being way too much for him to handle. At -425, I do think Faber has value for a bet. Eddie Gordon vs. Josh Samman TUF 19 middleweight winner fights for the first time since winning the show when he takes on Josh Samman. Gordon opened at -170 with Samman at +130, and now Gordon is -185 with Samman at +145. This is a pretty close fight in my mind but the two-year layoff for Samman is what makes me lean towards Gordon, otherwise I’d have a harder time picking it. I could still see Samman winning this because I think he’s a very good fighter, but Gordon is a beast and with more recent Octagon time, he is likely the right side here at -185. Corey Anderson vs. Justin Jones TUF 19 light heavyweight winner Corey Anderson makes his sophomore appearance in the Octagon against Justin Jones. Anderson opened at -385 with Jones at +265, and now Anderson is -320 with Jones at +240. I really Anderson is in this fight and surprised the line moved so much from the opener. Jones is moving up in weight to take the fight and has no UFC experience, while Anderson looked very good on the show and then at the finale, where he beat Matt Van Buren by first-round knockout. I like Anderson a lot here, and at -320 he’ll likely be a recommended play for me. Ashlee Evans-Smith vs. Raquel Pennington The first televised fight of the night is a women’s bantamweight bout between Ashlee Evans-Smith and Raquel Pennington. Evans-Smith opened at -180 with Pennington at +140, and now Evans-Smith is -195 with Pennington at +155. This is a tough fight to call, and right now I’m leaning a bit towards Pennington at plus money. I feel like Evans-Smith is being a bit overrated because of her win over Fallon Fox, which to me isn’t that impressive, while I think Pennington is being undervalued. I’m not super confident in her, but at +155 I think you have to lean in Pennington’s direction. Sergio Pettis vs. Matt Hobar The second of two Fight Pass prelims is a bantamweight bout between Sergio Pettis and Matt Hobar. Pettis opened at -280 with Hobar at +200, and now Pettis is -320 with Hobar at +240. I do lean Pettis here but for some reason I have a bad feeling about this fight. Realistically he should be able to keep it on the feet and outstrike Hobar, but for some reason I think he might get taken down. Like I said, I think Pettis should win, but at -320, it just seems like too much juice to lay a bet. Alex White vs. Clay Collard The first fight of the night is a featherweight bout between Alex White and Clay Collard. White opened at -140 with Collard at +100, and now White is -170 and Collard is +130. White is a decent striker with knockout power for sure, but I actually am a bit higher on Collard and like him at dog money. I think he has a bit better of a chin and I really like his aggressiveness. I’m not super confident in Collard just because his striking defence is so bad, but at +130 I certainly lean his way.
