The main event of WSOF 18 is a five-round title fight between WSOF bantamweight champion Marlon Moraes and Josh Hill. According to the current betting lines available at Several Bookmakers, Moraes is a -800 favorite (bet $800 to win $100) while Hill is a +500 underdog (bet $100 to win $500). MMA oddsmaker Nick Kalikas opened up Moraes at -505 and Hill at +335 and so far the action has come in on the favorite Moraes. I agree with the action in his favor as I like Moraes here to defend his title. Here’s why. Moraes (14-4-1) is the WSOF bantamweight champion and is one of the top bantamweights in the world not in the UFC, if not the best. The 26-year-old Brazilian trains alongside Frankie Edgar and Edson Barboza and not surprisingly he has exceptional striking. His muay Thai is lethal and he has collected five knockout wins in his career over the likes of Tyson Nam and Carson Beebe. He has improved his wrestling a ton over the years and is now almost impossible to take down. Moraes is currently riding an eight-fight win streak and with a win over Hill could get the call up to the UFC is WSOF lets him out of his contract. In this striker vs. grappler matchup, Moraes and his excellent takedown defence deserves to be a heavy favorite to claim victory, and that’s why you see the line where it’s at right now. Hill (10-0) was a cast member on season 18 of TUF, defeating Patrick Holohan in the opening round and then ultimately losing to Michael Wootten in the elimination round. The 28-year-old Canadian is a tenacious wrestler who chases the takedown at all costs. His wrestling is quite exceptional and it’s amongst the best of any bantamweight outside of the UFC. However, other than his wrestling, he isn’t an elite fighter anywhere. His striking is mediocre and he doesn’t have much power, and on the ground his ground and pound and BJJ are nearly non-existent, as he instead chooses to hold his opponents on the mat and control them for points. Hill is definitely a great wrestler, but going up against a superior striker with solid takedown defence like Moraes, it makes sense he is the underdog heading into the contest. I believe Moraes will be able to dictate where this fight takes place. I think his takedown defence is good enough to keep this fight on the feet, and on the feet I’m confident he will have the advantage. Hill has never been finished before so this one could go five rounds, but either way I do think Moraes will really shine in this fight and earn either a unanimous decision win or a stoppage somewhere in the later rounds. His line is high, but Moraes should be a good parlay booster this weekend.
