UFC Fight Night 115: Volkov vs. Struve
Date: September 2, 2017
Arena: Ahoy Rotterdam
City: Rotterdam, Netherlands
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is back in Rotterdam, Netherlands for the second time in promotional history this Saturday (September 2, 2017) with UFC Fight Night 115: Volkov vs. Struve. The 12-fight card is scheduled to get underway with preliminary action at 11:30 a.m. (ET), with the main card kicking off at 3 p.m. The card will be broadcasted live on UFC Fight Pass in it’s entirety. If interested in wagering on any bouts for these fight cards, all betting lines are available at Several Bookmakers.
Here are my plays…
Lightweight bout: Rustam Khabilov (-330) vs. Desmond Green (+270)
Gabe’s Thoughts: This is a battle between grapplers, and I do think this fight will hit the mat, where I expect both 155-pounders to have their moments. On the feet, I think Green will manage to get the better of Khabilov, especially at this point in their careers. The Dagestani fighter last saw action back in December of last year, when he took home a unanimous-decision win over Canadian Jason Saggo, which made it four straight wins for him inside the Octagon. Standing across from him, Green enjoys a five-fight winning streak heading into this contest, including a split-decision call over Josh Emmett at UFC 210 four months ago, which marked the first official defeat of Emmett’s pro MMA career. This is an important fight for both lightweight fighters, as they want to keep their winning streaks going and break into the division’s rankings. I think this is a very close fight, so at the current odds, Green at +270 feels like a no-brainer to me. I do think he should be the underdog here, but only a slight dog, so I believe he carries a solid amount of value at the current price. I’ll take my chances with him, and I’ll also pick him for the upset.
Gabe’s Call: Green by Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Gabe’s Recommended Play: Green (+270)
Lightweight bout: Mairbek Taisumov (-230) vs. Felipe Silva (+200)
Gabe’s Thoughts: Silva will be returning to the Octagon from an extended layoff following a first-round knockout of Shane Campbell in his promotional debut, which came a year ago. He will be looking to extend his unbeaten professional mixed martial arts record to 9-0 with an impressive victory over Taisumov, who will unquestionably be his stiffest test to date. The Dagestani has a 25-5 pro MMA record and is 5-1 in the UFC, currently enjoying a four fight winning streak, with all victories coming by way of T/KO. Much like his counterpart, he is returning from an extended layoff and has not seen action in more than a year. I think this is a close fight in the UFC’s 155-pound division, and at the current odds, I favor the 2-to-1 underdog Silva for a value play. Taisumov is a talented and vicious striker, as is evident by his current four-fight T/KO streak. However, I think the Brazilian is capable of outstriking him in this contest. I would not be surprised to see Silva pull off the T/KO here, but I think he is more likely to pull of the upset on the judges’ scorecards. At the current price, I think he is the right side for a play.
Gabe’s Call: Silva by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Gabe’s Recommended Play: Silva (+200)
