UFC returned for a televised event today (Saturday, November 26th, 2016). The card was headlined by a middleweight bout between Robert Whittaker and Derek Brunson. All in all, five favorites won, while six upsets occurred and there were two pick’em fights. Here’s how everything played out based on the Several Bookmakers closing odds: Favorites That Won In a lightweight battle, Alex Volkanovski made an impressive UFC debut in dominant fashion against Yusuke Kasuya. Kasuya threatened with repeated leg locks, but they would eventually be his undoing as Volkanovski dropped massive ground and pound on Kusuya’s face during a leg lock attempt to score a TKO victory in the second round. Volkanovski was victorious as a -150 (Bet $150 to win $100) betting favorite while Kusuya lost at +140. In a light heavyweight contest, Tyson Pedro survived an early knockdown against Khalil Rountree and then proceeded to score a takedown and eventually choke out the Ultimate Fighter runner-up with less than a minute remaining in the first round. Pedro picked up the win as a slight -110 favorite while Rountree lost as a +100 underdog. In a flyweight bout, Ben Nguyen completely styled on Geane Herrera, picking Herrera apart on the feet technically with a high output of strikes for three straight rounds to win a very one-sided unanimous decision. Nguyen was victorious as a -135 favorite while Herrera lost at +125. In a featherweight fight, Marlon Vera survived some brutal leg kicks from Ning Guangyou to hold on and win a competitive decision. Vera got the better of Guangyou due to his ground game in round one and rocked Guangyou in the third to earn the nod. Vera won as a -110 favorite while Guangyou was +100. In the opening bout of the evening, bantamweights Janel Lausa and Yao Zhikui put on an entertaining three-round affair. Lausa had Zhikui hurt on multiple occasions but couldn’t put him away, instead settling for a dominant decision victory thanks in part to an impressive technical striking display. Lausa was a -130 favorite while Zhikui closed as a +120 dog. Underdogs That Won In a middleweight main event bout, Robert Whittaker utilized excellent takedown defense and perfectly timed counter strikes to score a first round TKO victory over Derek Brunson. Brunson tried to swarm Whittaker with big sloppy strikes, but Whittaker weathered it and really started cracking him, eventually setting up the finish with a head kick and some big left hands. Whittkaer was a slight +105 (Bet $100 to win $105) underdog while Brunson was -115. In a lightweight scrap, Andrew Holbrook took advantage of some poor Fight IQ from top prospect Jake Matthews to earn a split decision victory. Matthews repeatedly clinched and took the fight to the canvas against an opponent who was better than him both in the phone booth and on the ground. Holbrook made him pay with repeated submission attempts and several sweeps, keeping Matthews on his heels. Holbrook was a +450 underdog while Matthews was -525. In a middleweight contest, Daniel Kelly was cut badly in the first round against Chris Camozzi, but he pushed forward, scoring takedowns in the second and third rounds to outwork Camozzi and earn a comeback unanimous decision victory. Kelly was a +170 underdog while Camozzi lost despite being a -185 favorite. In a lightweight fight, Damian Brown overcame a rough first round to upset Jon Tuck. Tuck outgrappled Brown and then dropped him in the first round, but Brown returned fire with a high-paced second round to even the score and then just barely did enoughin the third to earn a split decision nod from the judges. Brown was a +135 dog while Tuck was a -145 favorite. In a welterweight battle, Jonathan Meunier picked up his first UFC victory with a unanimous nod against a game Richard Walsh. Walsh threw caution to the wind in the third round but it was too little, too late. Meunier was victorious as a +120 dog while Walsh was -130. In a featherweight bout, Jason Knight had a huge first round against Daniel Hooker, winning on the ground and rocking Hooker a couple times on the feet. Knight slowed down as the fight wore on, but he continued to push a really high pace, willing to stand and engage on the feet, which allowed him to win a unanimous decision against his favored opponent. Knight was a +130 underdog while Hooker was a -140 betting favorite. Pick’em Fights In a welterweight contest, Omari Akhmedov pressured Kyle Noke on the feet with his hands and scored repeated takedowns to easily win a one-sided decision against the Aussie veteran. Akhmedov and Noke both closed at pick’em -105. In a women’s strawweight contest, Seo Hee Ham started strong with some huge left hands and forward pressure against Danielle Taylor, but Taylor responded with some heavy right hands and kicks in the second and third rounds to steal a split decision victory. Both ladies closed at pick’em -105 odds.
