UFC Fight Night 102: Lewis vs Abdurakhimov Date: December 9, 2016 Arena: Times Union Center City: Albany, NY The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heads to Albany, NY for the first time in promotional history with UFC Fight Night 102: Lewis vs. Abdurakhimov. The event will feature 12 bouts, all of which will be streaming live on UFC Fight Pass. Preliminary action is set to kick off at 5:45 p.m. (ET) with the main card getting underway at 9 p.m. If interested in wagering on any bouts for this fight card, all betting lines will be made available at Several Bookmakers. My Fights to AVOID betting are: Light Heavyweight bout bout: Gian Villante (-190) vs. Saparbek Safarov (+165) Gabe’s Thoughts: Undefeated Russian propspect Safarov is making his short-notice UFC debut in this contest against Villante, who is coming off a unanimous-decision loss to Ilir Latifi. I think this is a close fight, and I am conflicted on my official pick. I think this fight will largely depend on which Villante shows up. He seems to be very on or off, and his cardio very hit or miss. If he shows up in shape, he can take over this fight following the first round and win the second and third for a decision win on the cards. If his cardio fails him, as it did in his latest outing against Latifi, I think Safarov will win, possibly by finish. I think Safarov is a live dog in this contest, but I’m going to avoid making a play. If he can’t put the Long Islander away early, he could be in trouble. Gabe’s Call: Villante by Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) Gabe’s Recommended Play: AVOID Light Heavyweight bout: Corey Anderson (-410) vs. Sean O’Connell (+330) Gabe’s Thoughts: I agree with Anderson being the betting favorite in this matchup, and I more or less agree with the current odds. That means I see no betting value on either 205-pounder, so I am going to avoid making a play on this contest. If Anderson fights a smart fight, he will employ his superior wrestling here to cruise to a unanimous-decision win on the judges’ scorecards. Gabe’s Call: Anderson by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Gabe’s Recommended Play: AVOID
