UFC 187 took place Saturday night at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was a very solid card overall, with a number of highlight-reel finishes on the main card and solid performances on the prelims. Overall from a betting perspective, eight betting favorites won while three underdogs won based on the closing odds at Several Bookmakers. Here’s a quick recap for each fight. UFC 187 Betting Favorites That Won In a middleweight title bout, Chris Weidman defeated Vitor Belfort via first-round TKO (punches). Belfort blitzed Weidman early, but the champ landed a takedown and went to work on the ground quickly, knocking Belfort out with ground and pound. Weidman closed at -400 (bet $400 to win $100) while Belfort lost at +355 (bet $100 to win $355). In a lightweight bout, Donald Cerrone defeated John Makdessi via second-round KO (head kick). Cerrone’s striking was extremely sharp throughout the fight and then he nailed a brutal head kick on Makdessi late in the second for the knockout. Cerrone closed at -660 while Makdessi lost at +540. In a flyweight bout, Joseph Benavidez defeated John Moraga via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3). Benavidez outworked Moraga to take home a clean sweep on the judges scorecards. Benavidez closed at -705 while Moraga closed at +570. In a flyweight bout, John Dodson defeated Zach Makovsky via unanimous decision (29-28 x 3). It was a boring fight but Dodson did more on the feet to earn the nod. Dodson won at -750 while Makovsy lost at +600. In a welterweight bout, Dong Hyun Kim defeated Josh Burkman via third-round submission (arm-triangle choke). Kim went back to his grappling roots and found an opening in the third round to get the victory. Kim was -200, Burkman +175. In a welterweight bout, Colby Covington defeated Mike Pyle via unanimous decision (30-27 x 2, 29-29). Covington blanketed Pyle on the ground and escaped a few submission attempts to earn the decision nod. Covington was -310 while Pyle was +280. In a lightweight bout, Islam Makhachev defeated Leo Kuntz via second-round submission (rear-naked choke). Makhachev was everything as promised, as he outclassed Kunts on the ground to finally earn the tapout in round two. Makhachev wa -475 while Kuntz was +420. In a flyweight bout, Justin Scoggins defeated Josh Sampo via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3). Scoggin outstruck Sampo on the feet and won the grappling exchanges to come away with the decision nod. Scoggins was -475 while Sampo was +420. UFC 187 Betting Underdogs That Won In a light heavyweight title fight, Daniel Cormier defeated Anthony Johnson via third-round submission (rear-naked choke). Cormier’s wrestling looked absolutely fantastic and he was able to control Johnson on the ground and eventually break him, eventually getting the tap in round three. Cormier was +105 while Rumble was -115. In a heavyweight bout, Andrei Arlovsi defeated Travis Browne via first-round KO (punches). This was an absolutely insane fight that saw both men throw heavy leather, but eventually Arlovski connected with a flurry of answered blows and the ref called the fight. Arlovski closed at +420 while Browne lost at -475. In a middleweight bout, Rafael Natal defeated Uriah Hall via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28). This was a very close fight that could have gone either way, but ultimately the judges felt Natal outpaced Hall on the feet enough to win the decision. Natal was +355 while Hall was -400.
