TUF 20 Finale Date: December 12, 2014 Arena: The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort City: Las Vegas, NV The Ultimate Fighter Season 20 Finale will be live from Las Vegas this Friday night (Dec. 12, 2014) with 11 scheduled bouts, and the action will be live on FOX Sports 1, time yet to be determined. If interested in betting on this fight card, the lines will be made available to you at Several Bookmakerss. My fights to AVOID betting for the TUF 20 Finale are: Lightweight bout: Daron Cruickshank (-170) vs KJ Noons (+150) Gabe’s Thoughts: This is a fight that is too close to call and has several outcomes which are all very realistic. While I favor “The Detroit Superstar” to get his hand raised, most likely on the judges’ scorecards after three hard-fought rounds of action, I don’t believe there is enough value at the current betting odds to warrant a play. If the odds were at a coin-flip, then I would like him for a small play, but I think at these odds, both sides are to be avoided. Noons certainly has a decent chance of winning by either knockout or decision, but I don’t think it is worth the gamble at +150. At +200, I would be on the fence about it, but at +150, I think it’s an easy pass. This is likely to be a very entertaining bout, and a solid one to skip at the sportsbooks for pure viewing enjoyment. Gabe’s Call: Cruickshank by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27) Gabe’s Recommended Play: AVOID Lightweight bout: Joe Proctor (+205) vs Yancy Medeiros (-245) Gabe’s Thoughts: I favor Medeiros to get his hand raised in this match-up, but ever so slightly. I don’t think he is that far ahead of Proctor in terms of mixed martial arts skills to warrant being a -245 favorite over the Massachusetts native. Proctor is dangerous on the feet, as well as on the mat, and the same goes for Medeiros. I could see either fighter catching the other, but due to their heart and toughness, I think more often than not these 155 pounders will dance for three rounds of action towards a judges’ decision. Considering I expect back and forth action, it could be anybody’s fight when Bruce Buffer reads the scorecards. That would suggest that Proctor would be worth a gamble at +205, but I don’t think he is. Perhaps if he climbs closer to +250 he will be worth a shot, however at the current betting odds, I think this is one fight this weekend to not gamble on. I don’t think there is a clear cut winner here and I don’t see betting value on either side. This is certainly a dog or pass situation, and the pass appears to be the far more attractive option. Gabe’s Call: Medeiros by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Gabe’s Recommended Play: AVOID
