One of the prelims at UFC 182 is a three-round bantamweight bout between Marcus Brimage and Cody Garbrandt. According to the current betting lines available at Several Bookmakers, Brimage is a -210 favorite (bet $210 to win $100) while Garbrandt is a +175 underdog (bet $100 to win $175). MMA oddsmaker Nick Kalikas opened up Brimage at -270 and Garbrandt at +190, and action overall is has come on the underdog Garbrandt. This isn’t an easy fight to call, but I slightly lean towards the underdog Garbrandt to get the victory. Here’s why. Brimage (7-3) was a cast member on TUF 14 and has since gone on to post a 4-2 overall record in the UFC with wins over Jumabieke Tuerxun, Maximo Blanco, Jim Hettes and Stephen Bass and losses to Conor McGregor and Russell Doane. The 29-year-old’s first four UFC fights came at 145lbs, but after getting knocked out by McGregor he dropped down to 135 and he has looked great at the weight class, destroying Tuerxun with a head kick KO at UFC Fight Night 55 and narrowly losing a close split decision to Doane at UFC 135. Brimage, who trains at ATT, is an athletic fighter who has good defensive wrestling and good kickboxing. He has good hands and kicks, and if he can keep his fights standing he has a good chance of winning them. He is not great on the ground, but if he can use his wrestling in reverse he doesn’t have to worry about that weakness in his game. I think Brimage has looked great at bantamweight and I am expecting good things from him going forward, although he’s drawing a tough assignment here in Garbrandt, a tough, yet unknown fighter who could poise some unexpected problems for “The Bama Beast” if he’s not careful, but realistically it’s a fight he should win and that’s why he’s favored. Garbrandt (5-0) is one of the top prospects at 135lbs. The 23-year-old American trains at Team Alpha Male, so he’s getting training with the likes of UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw and Urijah Faber and it’s raising his game to a new level on a daily basis. Garbrandt is undefeated in his MMA career so far at 5-0, with all five wins coming by knockout. His career as a pro began in 2012, so he’s still relatively green, although he does have an amateur career dating back to 2009. And while he does have two losses on his amateur record, it’s clear those losses are behind him as he’s been nothing but dominant since turning pro. He is mostly a striker who has a lot of knockout power, although his grappling and wrestling are getting better. But there’s no doubt his bread and butter is his striking. He enters this fight against Brimage as the underdog, and it makes sense seeing as though Brimage is a proven veteran who is improving himself, but Garbrandt looks like a killer prospect and he is absolutely a live dog to pull off the upset as far as I’m concerned. Brimage has looked nothing but impressive at 135lbs, but I have been even more impressed with Garbrandt from what I’ve seen on tape, and I think he can win this fight. It’s not going to be easy, but I think he has what it takes to outstrike Brimage on the feet and possibly even knock him out in his UFC debut. Obviously betting against Brimage isn’t easy because the guy is a very good fighter, but I think Garbrandt is even better. At +175, I do think there’s value on Garbrandt for a bet, and if he can win the fight in impressive fashion, this might even be the last time this guy is the underdog in the UFC for a long time because the hype train will be on a roll.
