UFC 210
Date: April 8, 2017
Arena: KeyBank Center
City: Buffalo, NY
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heads back to Buffalo, NY for the second time in promotional history and first time in nearly 22 years with UFC 210: Cormier vs. Johnson II. The stacked 13-fight card is set to kick off with four preliminary fights on UFC Fight Pass at 6:15 p.m. ET, with preliminary action continuing on FOX Sports 1 at 8 p.m. and the main card getting underway at 10 p.m. on Pay-Per-View. If interested in wagering on any bouts for this fight card, all betting lines will be made available at Several Bookmakers.
Here is my parlay:
Welterweight bout: Kamaru Usman (-335) vs. Sean Strickland (+275)
Gabe’s Thoughts: I think this welterweight contest is closer than the current betting odds indicate. I think Usman should be a 2-to-1 betting favorite heading in, so at the current odds, I think Strickland holds value and is worth a bet. That said, I am personally going to opt against making a move on him and take what I think is the safe play, which is the Total of Over 2.5 rounds -250. I think this fight hits the judges’ scorecards for a decision more often than not, and I see Strickland making this a competitive fight and possibly pulling out an upset on the scorecards. My official pick will be Usman, as I think takedowns may ultimately make the difference, though he may look to make this a striking battle, which is what he was doing against Warlley Alves. Following the bout, he said he wanted to beat his opponent at his own game.
Gabe’s Call: Usman by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Lightweight bout: Gregor Gillespie (-220) vs. Andrew Holbrook (+180)
Gabe’s Thoughts: In short, I see Gillespie out-wrestling Holbrook in this contest while defending his submission attempts for the majority of three rounds en route to a unanimous-decision victory on the judges’ scorecards, making it two in a row for himself inside the Octagon and ultimately remaining undefeated as a pro.
Gabe’s Call: Gillespie by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 20-27, 30-27)
Women’s Bantamweight bout: Katlyn Chookagian (-170) vs. Irene Aldana (+150)
Gabe’s Thoughts: I think this is a close fight in the women’s bantamweight division, and at these odds, I can’t blame anybody for taking a shot on the underdog Aldana. I lean toward Chookagian getting her hand raised here, but I favor a play on the Total of Over 2.5 rounds at -235 for this contest, as I think both fighters are much more likely to win this fight on the judges’ scorecards than by finish. They are both very capable of finishing fights, but they are also both very tough to put away, so I favor an entertaining striking battle here that goes three rounds.
Gabe’s Call: Chookagian by Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Gabe’s Recommended Parlay: Usman/Strickland Over 2.5 rounds (-250), Gillespie (-220) and Chookagian/Aldana Over 2.5 rounds (-235) at +190
