UFC 215: Johnson vs. Borg
Date: September 9, 2017
Arena: Rogers Place
City: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will be in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada for the first time in promotional history with UFC 215: Johnson vs. Borg. The 12 fight card will kick off with preliminary action on UFC Fight Pass at 6:15 p.m. ET, and prelims will continue on FOX Sports 1 at 8 p.m., with the main card getting underway at 10 p.m. on Pay Per View. If interested in wagering on any bouts for these fight cards, all betting lines are made available at Several Bookmakers.
Here are my plays…
Light Heavyweight bout: Tyson Pedro (-130) vs. Ilir Latifi (+110)
Gabe’s Thoughts: Hunger is the biggest factor between the two here. I believe Pedro wants the win more, and often times, the fighter who wants it more, gets it. Pedro’s only clear technical advantage in this contest is in the submission game, however Latifi has a 100% successful takedown defense rate, so taking him to the mat is not the easiest task. On the feet, Latifi has the edge both in technical striking and in fight ending power. I give Latifi advantages in both striking and grappling, considering he is the superior wrestler of the two, however Pedro will have a big size advantage heading into the bout, which I think will benefit him throughout the course of the fight. The size difference between the two and the fact that Pedro is 25 years old and constantly improving from fight to fight is what makes me favor him for a play here. I do also think he will have the edge in cardio, considering Latifi’s conditioning has been hit or miss throughout his Octagon career. As Joe Rogan always says, having that much muscle does take up a lot of oxygen.
Gabe’s Call: Pedro by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Gabe’s Recommended Play: Pedro (-130)
Welterweight bout: Rafael dos Anjos (-165) vs. Neil Magny (+145)
Gabe’s Thoughts: I think RDA makes it two in a row for himself at 170-pounds with a victory over Magny in this contest. I expect the leg kicks to make a difference on the feet, and for the takedowns to be there whenever he pursues them. I see RDA getting the better of Magny both on the feet and on the mat for the majority of three rounds en route to a unanimous decision victory on the judges’ scorecards, potentially stopping him along the way. I was going to say RDA by Unanimous Decision for my pick, but I’ll go with the knockout instead. I think the Brazilian should be a -210 betting favorite here in this contest, so I like him for a play at his current offering price of -165.
Gabe’s Call: RDA by T/KO (punch, 3:03 round 1)
Gabe’s Recommended Play: RDA (-190)
