PFL 2022: Week 1 takes place on Wednesday, April 20 at Esports Stadium Arlington in Arlington, Texas. The offshore sportsbooks recently opened up the betting odds for the event, and MMAOB staff writer Adam Martin takes a look at the opening odds below.
PFL 2022: Week 1 Opening Odds
Clay Collard -150
Jeremy Stephens +120
Raush Manfio -200
Don Madge +160
Antonio Carlos Junior -350
Delan Monte +250
Natan Schulte -130
Olivier Aubin-Mercier +100
Emiliano Sordi -240
Cory Hendricks +180
Stevie Ray -160
Alex Martinez +130
Marthin Hamlet -200
Teodoras Aukstuolis +160
Omari Akhmedov -150
Viktor Pesta +120
Bruce Souto -150
Rob Wilkinson +120
Clinton Williams -290
Simeon Powell +230
Here are my quick thoughts on the PFL 2022: Week 1:
- PFL 2022: Week 1 features the lightweight and the light heavyweights in action. In the headliner, it’s a lightweight bout between former UFC fighters Clay Collard and Jeremy Stephens. Collard went 2-1 last year in the PFL 2021 tournament, defeating Anthony Pettis and Joilton Lutterbach with a loss to winner Raush Manfio. As for Stephens, he is a former UFC star who enters PFL having lost five of his last six fights in the Octagon. Both Collard and Stephens love to stand in the pocket and trade, so this should be an exciting fight. Collard opened as the slight favorite, but Stephens always has a puncher’s chance against anyone.
- In light heavyweight action, last year’s winner Antonio Carlos Junior begins his path to another tournament win when he takes on PFL newcomer Delan Monte. Junior went 3-0, 1 NC in the PFL 2021 tournament, including a submission win over Marthin Hamlet in the finals. As for Monte, he is making his PFL debut after having won his last three fights on the Brazilian regional scene. Although Monte has shown finishing ability, he hasn’t fought any good opponents, and Junior represents a massive step up in competition. Junior opened up as the clear favorite for this fight, and the line will likely continue to keep growing until the fight.
