TUF 24 Finale Date: December 3, 2016 Arena: The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort City: Las Vegas, NV Flyweight bout: Joseph Benavidez (-190) vs Henry Cejudo (+175) Fight Breakdown: The TUF 24 Finale co-main event will be the coaches match-up between Joseph Benavidez and Henry Cejudo, with Benavidez being a -190 ($190 to win $100) betting favorite to win the match-up, and Cejudo being a +175 ($100 to win $175) underdog at Several Bookmakerss. Joseph Benavidez(24-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) last saw action at UFC Fight Night 82 10 months ago, where he picked up a unanimous decision win over Zack Makovsky to make it five straight for himself inside the Octagon. He will be looking to make it six straight while simultaneously earning another crack at the UFC’s 125-pound gold. The Elevation MMA fighter is a great athlete who excels in every aspect of mixed martial arts. He is a solid striker who has been consistently showing improvements in the department. He is also a tremendously talented wrestler who possesses great takedowns and a heavy top game, as well as phenomenal submissions, including a signature guillotine choke. The 32-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 Elevation MMA in high altitude Denver, CO, the WEC veteran is a very well-conditioned athlete who will be ready for three rounds of action, if necessary. Henry Cejudo (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) is coming off the first official loss of his professional mixed martial arts careet at UFC 197 just over seven months ago, where he suffered a first round TKO at the knees of UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson in a failed bid for his title. Cejudo is a well-rounded mixed martial artist who owns an Olympic gold medal in wrestling and is a Bronze Gloves boxing champion. He is a talented athlete who works excellent takedowns and has real pop in his hands, though he has yet to record a stoppage inside the Octagon. Defensively, he has great takedown defense and is very capable of keeping his fights standing, should he want the action there. The 29-year-old has had cardio issues in the past, but I think that is behind him for the most part and expect him to be ready for a full three rounds of mixed martial arts action against Benavidez, should this fight reach the judges’ scorecards for a decision. Gabe’s Call: Benavidez by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Gabe’s Thoughts: I agree with Benavidez being the betting favorite in this 125-pound title eliminator and initially expected I would be using him as a key parlay piece for this card, however after doing my homework on the bout, I have come out feeling a bit different. At the current odds, I think Cejudo holds a bit of value and I think he is the right side for a wager in this co-main event contest. I originally planned on playing Benavidez, but now I see this as a “dog or pass” situation, and ultimately, I think I’m gonna make a small move on the dog. Gabe’s Recommended Play: Cejudo (+175) 1u to win 1.75u
