Fight Odds » Just In - All Access. Pictures: UFC Fight Night 186 UFC Fight Night 186 was hampered by late cancelations, but still delivered. Latest galleries. Pictures: UFC Fight Night 186. Minus odds in UFC betting shows us who the favorite is and the number represents the amount of money you would have to wager in order to win $100. Plus odds in UFC betting shows us who the underdog is and the number represents the amount of money you would win if you wagered $100.
- A scheduled light heavyweight bout between Alonzo Menifield and William Knight is off the UFC Fight Night card on Saturday due to a positive COVID-19 test, the promotion confirmed Thursday.
- For the second time in company history, the UFC is setting up shop in Moscow, Russia for UFC Fight Night 163: Magomedsharipov vs Kattar. The event will take place at the CSKA Arena on November 9 starting at 11 a.m. ET and will be headlined by a featherweight bout between Zabit Magomedsharipov and Calvin “The Boston Finisher” Kattar. The Russia native, Magomedsharipov, is a -305 favorite.
- UFC 163: Aldo vs. Jung odds & betting lines. UFC/MMA odds comparison service. Compare the latest UFC/MMA fight odds and betting lines from the top online sportsbooks.
On Saturday, November 9th, the UFC will be live from the CSKA Arena in Moscow, Russia, for UFC Fight Night 163, also known as UFC Fight Night: Magomedsharipov vs Kattar and UFC on ESPN+ 21. This event features a featherweight bout between one of Russia’s top UFC fighters in Zabit Magomedsharipov vs Calvin Kattar.
The co-main event of the night is a heavyweight fight between the controversial Greg Hardy and former Bellator heavyweight champ Alexander Volkov. Hardy has replaced Junior dos Santos on less than three weeks’ notice.
In total, there are 13 fights scheduled for this UFC Fight Night Moscow show. The prelims are set to begin at 11 AM ET and the main card will kick off at 2 PM ET. Both portions of this event will stream live on ESPN+.
Sites that offer UFC betting have released their odds for the full slate of UFC Fight Night 163 bouts. Let’s step inside the betting octagon to examine these MMA betting lines courtesy of 5Dimes, identify possible betting value or upsets, and KO our picks.
When at #UFCMoscow fight week… pic.twitter.com/9qLaPmRmsG
— UFC (@ufc) November 6, 2019
UFC Fight Night 163 Prelims
The Fight Night preliminary card features seven fights and is set to begin at 11 AM ET on ESPN+.
Grigory Popov (13-3) vs Davey Grant (10-4)
- Grigory Popov (-190)
- Davey Grant (+165)
Davey Grant comes into this contest having lost three of his last four fights, including two in a row. He hasn’t competed in the UFC since July 2018. Grant has a 1-3 record inside the octagon with his lone win coming against Marlon Vera in February 2016. Eight of his 10 pro wins have come via submission.
Popov made his UFC debut in June after winning 10 straight fights. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out well as he lost via 2nd round KO to Eddie Wineland. Seven of his 13 wins have come via stoppage.
This fight should be closer in odds than what the online betting sites have it listed as. Neither fighter has proven anything in the UFC. They’re a combined 1-4 overall. Ultimately, Grant has the ground advantage while Popov should have the edge standing up.
With these two fighters close in skills, I am going with Grant since his odds offer better value. Grant’s massive advantage on the mat should be the difference in this fight.
Alexander Yakovlev (24-8-1) vs Roosevelt Roberts (8-1)
- Alexander Yakovlev (+140)
- Roosevelt Roberts (-160)
Yakovlev has been with the UFC since May 2014 but has only fought seven times during that span. Currently, Yakovlev sits 3-4 inside the octagon after dropping four of his first six fights. Additionally, Yakovlev sat out all of 2017 and 2018 before returning to the UFC this spring.
Yakovlev won his last fight in April when he defeated Alex da Silva Coelho via submission. Eighteen of his 25 pro wins have come via stoppage.
Roosevelt Roberts has replaced Vinc Pichel for this fight on three weeks’ notice. Ironically, Pichel is the man who handed Roberts his first pro loss in June. Pichel won via unanimous decision as he came from behind to win that contest.
Roberts earned his contract on DWTNCS in July 2018 and has gone 2-1 since then. Seven of his eight pro wins have come via stoppage. He has just one decision loss.
This is another fight where the combatants are closer on paper than with the oddsmakers. If we see the Yakovlev from his last fight, then he has a real shot at pulling off the betting upset. Roberts won’t have a size advantage, which also plays into Yakovlev’s favor.
With that said, I am going with the safe play here and taking Roberts. I think he will bounce back from his last loss and pull out the stoppage victory. Five of Yakovlev’s losses have come via stoppage with four of them by way of submission.
Jessica-Rose Clark (9-5, 1 NC) vs Pannie Kianzad (11-5)
- Jessica-Rose Clark (-105)
- Pannie Kianzad (-115)
Clark, nicknamed “Jessy Jess,” has gone 2-1 inside the octagon since debuting with the UFC two years ago. She has wins over Bec Rawlings and Paige VanZant but lost to Jessica Eye 17 months ago. Issues with weight and an injury have kept her out since then.
Five of Clark’s nine pro wins have come via decision. Nine of her last 10 pro fights have ended via decision. She’s 5-5 when going to the scorecards.
Checked in, posters signed, only thing left is weight cut ❤️
So excited to finally be back here ☠️ #UFCMOSCOWpic.twitter.com/giccFgFbxz
— Jessy Jess (@missjessyjess) November 6, 2019
Kianzad is 0-2 inside the octagon and has lost five of her last eight fights. However, she will have at least two inches in height and three inches in reach advantage. Eight of her 11 pro wins have come via decision. Ten of her 16 pro fights have gone the distance, and she is 8-2 in those bouts.
This fight has “decision” written all over it. Neither woman is well-known for finishing off an opponent. Both women offer betting value, but I’m going with the bigger fighter in this one and taking Kianzad to win via decision.
Abubakar Nurmagomedov (15-2-1) vs David Zawada (16-5)
- Abubakar Nurmagomedov (-320)
- David Zawada (+260)
Yes, Abubakar is related to Khabib Nurmagomedov as they are cousins. Abubakar is making his UFC debut after competing with the WSOF and PFL over the last few years. Unlike his cousin, Abu is more of a striker than Khabib. He does have grappling skills, but not nearly at the same level as his world champion cousin.
Zawada has dropped his first two fights in the UFC and hasn’t stepped back inside the octagon in a year. Zawada is known for his striking abilities, most notably his knockout power. Eleven of his 16 pro wins have come via TKO/KO.
Zawada certainly has the power to end this fight with one punch. However, he doesn’t have the takedown defense or the grappling skills to hang with Nurmagomedov on the mat. I expect Abu to get this fight down to the mat quickly and then grind out a victory.
Karl Roberson (8-2) vs Roman Kopylov (8-0)
- Karl Roberson (-115)
- Roman Kopylov (-105)
Here’s a close fight with two combatants looking to get a big win this weekend. Sports betting sites have listed this contest as one of the closest matchups on the entire card.
Kopylov is undefeated and the very slight underdog. He’s making his UFC debut in his homeland of Russia. Seven of his eight pro wins have come via TKO/KO.
Roberson has had some ups and downs in the UFC. He had an impressive performance at DWTNCS almost two and a half years ago. However, he’s alternated between wins and losses since then. Both losses have come via submission.
Both men prefer to stand up and exchange strikes. Roberson has a kickboxing background and Kopylov has proven to be a knockout artist. I believe his power will be the difference in this fight. We could see a three-round war or a devastating stoppage inside the distance.
Rustam Khabilov (23-4) vs Sergey Khandozhko (26-5-1)
- Rustam Khabilov (-185)
- Sergey Khandozhko (+160)
Khandozhko made his UFC debut in June and defeated Rostem Akman via unanimous decision. It was his third straight win and the eighth decision victory of his career. Seventeen of his 26 pro wins have come via stoppage with 10 by way of TKO/KO.
Khabilov has been with the UFC for over seven years now. If you look back far enough, he even has a win over Jorge Masvidal. Khabilov started his UFC tenure with three wins before dropping two fights to Benson Henderson and Adriano Martins. After those losses, he went on a six-fight win streak.
His streak was snapped eight months ago when he lost to Diego Ferreira via unanimous decision. Fourteen of his 23 pro wins have come via decision. In total, 17 of his 27 pro fights have gone the distance.
Unless he gets caught with something nasty, I expect Khabilov to win this fight via decision as well. Look for Khabilov to score several takedowns and control the fight from the mat where he will win with the judges.
Magomed Ankalayev (10-1) vs Dalcha Lungiambula (10-1)
- Magomed Ankalayev (-400)
- Dalcha Lungiambula (+325)
Lungiambula is on a six-fight win streak that has seen him win two regional titles before making his UFC debut in June. He defeated Townsend via 3rd round TKO to earn a step up in competition against Ankalayev.
Four of his last six fights have ended with Dalcha winning via TKO/KO. For his career, six of his 10 pro wins have come via stoppage with five by way of TKO/KO.
Also known as Black Death, the Cape Buffalo can be extremely dangerous, and is said to have killed more game hunters than any other animal in Africa. #WakandaWarrior
3 days to fight night!!!#ufcmoscow#africarise#dalchachampionpic.twitter.com/4g5UizM6JP
Live Ufc Odds
— Dalcha Lungiambula (@Dalcha_Champion) November 6, 2019
Ankalayev is one of the top Russian prospects in the UFC. He’s on a two-fight win streak after dropping his UFC debut via submission in the final seconds of that fight. Since then, he’s looked impressive inside the octagon and poised for a big night this Saturday.
Six of his 11 pro wins have come via TKO/KO. Ankalayev boasts of a devastating ground and pound game along with excellent striking from a distance. His range will prove too difficult for Dalcha to overcome as he has at least four inches in height and reach advantages.
If Ankalayev doesn’t eat too many power shots from Lungiambula then he should win this fight either via unanimous decision or a late-round TKO.
UFC Fight Night 163 Main Card
The main card of the event features six fights and is set to begin at 2 PM ET on ESPN+.
Shamil Gamzatov (13-0) vs Klidson Farias de Abreu (14-4)
- Shamil Gamzatov (-190)
- Klidson Farias de Abreu (+165)
For Abreu, this will be his 3rd fight in the UFC. He’s currently 1-1 with two bouts this year. Abreu lost his UFC debut to Magomed Ankalayev in February but bounced back in July and defeated Sam Alvey. Both of his UFC fights have gone the distance. Fourteen of his 15 pro wins have come via stoppage with 10 by way of submission.
Gamzatov is making his UFC debut this weekend after having last fought 15 months ago. Gamzatov is a solid prospect with a decent blend of striking and grappling skills. Ten of his 13 pro wins have come via stoppage.
This fight is difficult to predict. Both men are very comparable in striking and grappling skills. Gamzatov is used to gaining top control in his fights, but that will be more difficult against Abreu, who is a black belt in jiu-jitsu.
I believe that MMA betting sites have overvalued Gamzatov here. Abreu is worthy of a flier. The safe play is on Gamzatov to earn a hard-fought decision victory, but the larger return on investment is with Abreu. I’ll side with Gamzatov this weekend, but he will need to step up his game on Saturday.
Anthony Rocco Martin (16-5) vs Ramazan Emeev (18-3)
- Anthony Rocco Martin (+130)
- Ramazan Emeev (-150)
Anthony Rocco Martin is looking for a bounce-back win on Saturday after losing his last fight in June to Demian Maia via majority decision. Martin’s loss snapped a four-fight win streak. Martin is 8-5 inside the octagon and has gone 7-2 in his last nine UFC contests.
Martin will have a two-inch height advantage but is giving up nearly three inches in reach. He’s a profound grappler with nine of his 16 pro wins coming via submission.
Emeev is on a seven-fight win streak and will get to compete in his home country this Saturday. He’s also a solid grappler with a good blend of wrestling and sambo skills. Emeev has gone 3-0 since joining the UFC two years ago. Ten of his 18 pro wins have come via stoppage with eight by way of submission.
This fight is going to come down to whichever fighter makes the biggest mistake on the mat. I expect both men to try and impose their grappling skills on the other. With that said, I’m siding with Martin in this fight. I like his experience advantage to edge out Emeev in this contest.
Martin went toe-to-toe with one of UFC’s all-time great grapplers in Maia and lost via majority decision. He looked strong and highly proficient against a master of the mat. If that same Martin shows up in this fight, then he will pull off the upset.
Khadis Ibragimov (8-1) vs Ed Herman (24-14, 1 NC)
- Khadis Ibragimov (-165)
- Ed Herman (+135)
This fight was initially scheduled for Ed Herman to take on Gadzhimurad Antigulov. Unfortunately, Antigulov had to withdraw for undisclosed reasons. Khadis Ibragimov steps in to replace Antigulov on a little more than one week’s notice.
Ed Herman returns to the octagon after his last fight in May, where he won via 1st round TKO over Patrick Cummins. It snapped a three-fight losing streak, which was part of a 2-5 stretch in his career. Overall, Herman is 11-11 in the octagon as he’s been with the UFC since 2006.
Twenty of his 24 pro wins have come via stoppage with 13 by way of submission. Nine of his 14 pro losses have come via stoppage with six by way of submission. Herman is 4-5 when going the distance.
Ibragimov made his UFC debut roughly 2 ½ months ago but lost via 3rd round submission to Da Un Jung. He was 8-0 upon entering the UFC. Ibragimov is looking to wash the taste of losing out of his mouth by picking up a solid win over a UFC veteran. Five of his eight pro wins have come via stoppage.
It’s been a long time since Herman was relevant in any weight class. Ibragimov was the former M-1 light heavyweight champ before joining the UFC. He took his debut bout on short notice as well and ended up falling short.
I don’t see Ibragimov falling short in this one. I believe he will be even more motivated to fight in front of his fellow countrymen and I expect him to get a big win on Saturday. Look for Ibragimov to finish off Herman before this fight goes the full three rounds.
Danny Roberts (16-5) vs Zelim Imadaev (8-1)
- Danny Roberts (+185)
- Zelim Imadaev (-225)
Danny “Hot Chocolate” Roberts enters this weekend on a two-fight losing streak and is 3-4 in his last seven overall bouts. He last fought in May and lost via 1st round KO to Michel Pereira. It’s been 16 months since Roberts last won and that was a split decision over David Zawada.
Twelve of his 16 pro wins have come via stoppage with seven by way of TKO/KO. All five of his losses have come via stoppage. Roberts is giving up two inches in reach to his opponent.
Imadaev was 8-0 heading into his UFC debut this past April. Unfortunately, he came out on the wrong side of a majority decision to Max Griffin. Before that loss, Imadaev had won every fight by TKO/KO. In Roberts, he will have an opponent that’s willing to stand and strike with him.
This matchup has “knockout of the night” written all over it. Both combatants love to put their opponents to sleep and I see them both going for a TKO/KO in this one.
Roberts has the octagon experience advantage as this will be his 10th UFC fight. However, Imadaev appears to have more knockout power and will be fighting in his home country this weekend. Go with Zelim Imadaev to get the win via TKO/KO in front of his fellow countrymen.
Alexander Volkov (30-7) vs Greg Hardy (5-1, 1 NC)
- Alexander Volkov (-260)
- Greg Hardy (+220)
As much disdain as I have for Greg Hardy as a person outside of the cage, I have to give him and his team credit for stepping in on short notice and taking this fight. Junior dos Santos was initially scheduled to face Volkov, but the former heavyweight champ was forced to withdraw from the fight due to an illness.
For Hardy, this fight is a major stepping stone in his short UFC career. If he wins, Hardy will shake up the MMA world by defeating the No. 7 ranked heavyweight. It will certainly catapult him into the Top 15 and give the hype machine behind him more fuel.
However, if he loses, then it’s not going to hurt him much since nobody expects Hardy to win. Yet, if he looks good in a losing effort that could still work in his favor. As I said, this was a smart and gutsy decision for Team Hardy.
Hardy is making a quick turnaround as he fought three weeks ago at UFC on ESPN 6: Reyes vs Weidman. Hardy had this fight against Ben Sosoli overturned due to using an inhaler between rounds despite being told that he could. Nevertheless, he won that fight via unanimous decision before the result was changed to a no contest.
In six pro fights, four with the UFC, Hardy has now been in two contests that have ended via controversy. His lone professional loss was to Allen Crowder in his UFC debut after Hardy was disqualified for an illegal knee. For the record, Hardy was winning that fight as well.
Alexander Volkov is a former Bellator heavyweight champ who joined the UFC in June 2016. He’s gone 4-1 inside the octagon and just had a six-fight win streak snapped due to a loss 13 months ago to Derrick Lewis. Volkov was ahead on the cards before Lewis KO’d him with just 11 seconds left in the fight.
'Russian people are the strongest in the world!'@AlexDragoVolkov incites patriotism during #UFCMoscow open workouts pic.twitter.com/ti1kuKaDQg
— RT Sport (@RTSportNews) November 7, 2019
Volkov is back, angrier than ever and wanting a dominant win in front of his fellow countrymen. Twenty of his 30 pro wins have come via TKO/KO.
Hardy is an impressive athlete with raw knockout power. However, he’s going up against a perennial Top 10 heavyweight who was a former world champ. Not to mention, a fighter with five times as many professional fights and four times as many knockouts.
I can’t see this fight ending any other way than with Hardy going to sleep. Volkov is the better overall fighter and should be able to land combinations, counter punch Hardy, and knock out the former NFL player. I’m taking Volkov to win by 2nd round TKO.
Zabit Magomedsharipov (17-1) vs Calvin Kattar (21-3)
- Zabit Magomedsharipov (-300)
- Calvin Kattar (+250)
This main event fight features one of Russia’s best MMA fighters in any promotion as Zabit Magomedsharipov fights in front of thousands of his biggest fans. Zabit is the No. 5 ranked featherweight and Calvin Kattar is ranked 11th.
Zabit Magomedsharipov hasn’t lost a fight in 6 ½ years. He’s won 13 fights in a row, including all five of his UFC contests. Magomedsharipov last fought in March and defeated Jeremy Stephens via unanimous decision.
Can @ZaBeast_MMA get it done alongside the home crowd!? #UFCMoscowpic.twitter.com/eIeDfXWmjx
— UFC (@ufc) November 6, 2019
It was a bit of a surprise that the fight went the distance as many pundits felt that Zabit Magomedsharipov would’ve finished off Stephens inside the distance. Thirteen of his 17 pro wins have ended via stoppage.
Calvin Kattar is a solid opponent who’s on a two-fight win streak and is 4-1 inside the octagon. His lone UFC loss was to Renato Carneiro in April 2018. He’s already defeated Shane Burgos, Andre Fili, Chris Fishgold and Ricardo Lamas. All four of those men are no cakewalks.
Kattar is a competent striker who can hold his own on the mat. Twelve of his 20 pro wins have come via stoppage with nine victories by way of TKO/KO. 10 of his 23 pro fights have gone the distance. Kattar is 8-2 in those contests.
Despite having the height and reach advantage, Kattar is too dangerous on his feet for Zabit to stand and go punch for punch with. Kattar is an explosive striker with top-notch boxing skills that are better than Zabit’s striking skills. Magomedsharipov’s best path to victory is to take Kattar to the mat and grind out a win.
I’m going with Magomedsharipov to win in his home country via unanimous decision in a possible fight of the night candidate. Magomedsharipov offers no betting value, but Kattar could be worthy of a flier for the risk-takers out there.
Betting Value for UFC Fight Night 163
The following fighters offer solid betting value based on their current UFC odds, matchups and career success:
- Davey Grant (+165) is a sizable underdog against Grigory Popov (+190). However, he has a big advantage on the mat. I believe that’s where Grant will take this fight and pull off the upset win.
- Pannie Kianzad (-115) is a slight favorite over Jessica-Rose Clark (-105) in what should be a very close fight. I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends via split decision. With that said, I’m going with Kianzad due to her size advantage.
- Roman Kopylov (-105) is the slight underdog against Karl Roberson (-115) in his UFC debut. These two will try to knock each other’s heads off with vicious strikes. I believe Kopylov will come out the victor in his home country.
- Anthony Rocco Martin (+130) is the underdog to Russia’s Ramazan Emeev (-150) in what should be a battle of two fantastic grapplers. With that said, after Martin’s narrow loss to Maia, I have a newfound confidence in his grappling skills. I’m taking Martin to get the upset victory on Saturday.
Final Thoughts on UFC Fight Night 163
UFC Fight Night 163 features many of the promotion’s top Russian fighters and prospects. There’s a ton of talent spread throughout this card. Furthermore, it’s an excellent way to start a Saturday as it begins at 11 AM ET and 8 AM PT due to the time difference with Moscow.
I’m not as confident in this card’s betting value as I have been with recent UFC events. That’s mostly due to picking underdogs to win. Nevertheless, there’s still a good amount of opportunities to make some cash on UFC Fight Night 163.
In the end, I expect this night to be all about UFC’s top Russian fighters as Zabit Magomedsharipov will set himself up as the next contender for the featherweight championship. Additionally, Alexander Volkov will re-establish himself as a contender in the UFC heavyweight division. And, all of us non-Hardy fans will celebrate that victory.
UFC Fight Night 163 Betting Recap
- Davey Grant (+165)
- Roosevelt Roberts (-160)
- Pannie Kianzad (-115)
- Abubakar Nurmagomedov (-320)
- Roman Kopylov (-105)
- Rustam Khabilov (-185)
- Magomed Ankalayev (-400)
- Shamil Gamzatov (-190)
- Anthony Rocco Martin (+130)
- Khadis Ibragimov (-165)
- Zelim Imadaev (-225)
- Alexander Volkov (-260)
- Zabit Magomedsharipov (-300)
This train just keeps on rollin, bebey…bebey…
Did someone hear Fred Durst? Must be me, sorry. The guy had some energy, though. You can’t take that away from him. I digress. Let’s progress.
This Satur(day) in the Western Hemisphere, Zabit Magomedsharipov and Boston’s Calvin Kattar headline UFC Fight Night 163 from Moscow, Mother Russia.
Start time will be 11:00 AM Eastern for the prelims and the main card kicks/punches off at 1400 hours.
For those of you who are salty about the time, how annoyed would you be if you’re halfway across the world and had to get up early on Saturday just to run your errands before you head to the arena…all because ‘Merica likes their normal time?
There are many talented fighters on the card, several of which I cannot properly pronounce their names but that shouldn’t deter you from betting and/or tuning in.
One name that is maybe not so easy to hear but at least pronounce is Greg Hardy.
Yes, the former Dallas Cowboy who fought just three weeks ago is a last minute replacement to step in against the lengthy Russian striker Alexander Volkov.
Greg added to his infamy when he used an inhaler before the start of the third round.
To hear the shock and awe in the voices of Dominick Cruz and Daniel Cormier who were calling the fight is priceless. Even coach Trevor Wittman chimed in and couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculousness.
Hardy won the fight but it was overturned to a no-contest and since they did it before the end of the event, online bettors were unable to cash their win. You live and learn, Greg.
This week will be a tremendous step up in competition for the former NFL All-Pro defensive lineman. More on that fight in a minute.
BetOnline.ag has the lines for us. Last week was almost perfect for our predictions.
I almost don’t want to make any for this Saturday because 9-1 on straight fight picks and 4-0 on prop bets is a PR as we say in the weight lifting community.
Jessica Rose Clark (-112) vs Pannie Kianzad (-108)
“Jessy Jess” Jessica Rose Clark is a former training partner in Las Vegas at Syndicate MMA.
The Aussie powerhouse relocated her camp down the street to Xtreme Couture and she also spent loads of her time at the UFC Performance Institute in Southwest Sin City.
She has now moved to Cali full time.
Jess trains quite a bit in the NorCal Bay Area outside of San Jose training at the famed CSA Gym led by striking mastermind Kirian Fitzgibbons.
Ufc Fight Night 163 Odds Against
Many of Uriah Faber’s Team Alpha Male fighters get a lot of work in with all of the professional Muay Thai fighters over there and it shows.
I had the pleasure of doing thousands of mostly friendly sparring rounds with strikers of all backgrounds during my time in Vegas and I will tell you this.
Pro Muay Thai fighters are on a different level. Sure, you get amazing kickboxers who give everyone fits like Stephen “Wonderboy Thompson and boxing stylists like one half of Saturday’s main event, Calvin Kattar.
The pro Muay Thai guys and girls make some of the best MMA strikers just look silly and Jessy Jess, who was already more than competent on her feet, has improved significantly since she started training at CSA.
She is coming off of a severe knee injury but she crushed her rehab and still took her time returning to the Octagon.
Her opponent, Pannie Kianzad, is a force herself. That’s a big reason why this a pick’em fight. The natural bantamweight was born in Iran and currently resides in Sweden. A boxer since age 14, Pannie loves to trade so I expect this one to play out on the feet.
These two women actually fought before in the Invicta in July of 2015. This was before Jess made the move to Vegas. Pannie won a unanimous decision by landing clean punches and defending takedowns effectively.
It has been public knowledge that Rose Clark was in a physically abusive relationship with her boyfriend at the time in Australia. I won’t give the guy any notoriety as I believe he is in jail now but the scumbag’s face was entirely covered in tattoos.
Coming to America was a rebirth for her and while this fight will be very tough, I know her mental, emotional, and physical states have improved dramatically since. Pannie has very good hands, though.
Kianzad is the bigger woman too. She made it to the finals of the Women’s Featherweight “Heavy Hitters” Ultimate Fighter show. That’s 145!
Jess’s frame is a natural 125. She has a little too much muscle, in my opinion, particularly in her legs to be able to compete at the highest level at Bantamweight (135). Strength and power are great. Don’t get me wrong but as the sport grows and overall skill levels even out, frame size becomes more and more important.
I really want to take Rose Clark here. She was always super cool with me and her sense of humor is golden but I have to go with the bigger girl who beat her before.
Ufc Fight Night Picks
Pannie has had trouble on the ground but I don’t think Jess has been able to fully commit to a wrestling-heavy training camp coming off of a torn ACL.
Alexander Volkov (-265) vs Greg Hardy (+225)
I spoke briefly about Greg Hardy and inhaler-gate a bit ago. I don’t think he will have the same problem again.
Alexander Volkov is a very very good striker. Standing 6’7” tall with an 81-inch reach, the Russian striker will be fighting in his residence and hometown of Moscow. He would be on a 7-fight win streak right now but he lost his last one against Derrick Lewis with just a few seconds to go in the fight after dominating nearly the entire contest.
The Russian has a great gas tank and we already know Hardy needs assistance. Greg could land a big punch over the top as he has virtually the same reach but Volkov is polished.
The most important thing here is that he took an extended amount of time off after the KO defeat to Lewis.
There could be rust because it’s been over a year now but I think that’s much better than coming back too soon from being concussed.
(-265) is pretty steep, though. Betting 100 bucks will only net you 37 dollars. That’s a lot of risk for a heavyweight fight where it only takes one punch and the underdog is a world class athlete.
The over/under odds are a bit more juicy. I am on a bad streak with picking the over’s but Hardy has shown to be fairly durable and Volkov is more of a volume striker.
Even though he knockout out Werdum and Struve, both came late in the 3rd and 4th rounds. Derrick Lewis is very hittable and Volkov couldn’t put him away.
I’ll take the over 1.5 rounds at (-120). If he kicks Hardy in the head in the first, though, it won’t break my heart.
The former footballer hasn’t earned his spot on UFC main cards and you are probably aware of his domestic abuse conviction.
I think Volkov takes him out but Hardy hasn’t shown a ton of aggression in his recent outings so let’s hope it takes longer than 7 minutes and 30 seconds.
Zabit Magomedsharipov (-285) vs Calvin Kattar (+245)
Ufc Fight Night 163 Moscow Odds
My twin! I can’t help but love Zabit. 6’1 and fighting at 145 pounds, the long lean Russian is a phenom!
I really thought I had the Abe Lincoln look down pat. Every Halloween, I would don my black suit and top hat and enjoy the love wherever I went. It’s been a few years. Maybe I’ll bring it back next October.
Zabit may have his toughest test to date on Saturday. Calvin Kattar is on a roll as of late. He has won 12 of his last 13 and is 4-1 in the UFC. Calvin’s only UFC loss was a unanimous decision to Renato Moicano.
It should be noted that this fight will only be three rounds despite the fact that it is a main event. This favors Zabit because there is less of a chance that he gets knocked out by the more powerful puncher and Magomedsharipov has slowed significantly in the third round a couple of times in the UFC already.
This fight is no gimme, though. Kattar is a live dog. We have to remember that it was only a year and a half ago when Zabit had a hard time with Kyle Bochniak is 2-5 in his UFC career.
He’s an aggressive puncher, though, just like Calvin except not to that level.
- Zabit’s last contest against Jeremy Stephens got a little dicey but the Russian’s takedowns saved him.
- Zabit’s striking is almost too relaxed. I’m all for being cool in there. I get it but he can be a little too overconfident and has a bad habit of backpedaling.
He has the technique to trip and throw his opponents down but not the strength to keep them there.
Just like the co-main event, the favorite is not worth the price but I don’t think the underdog will win.
Zabit’s submission game is legit and Kattar is listed as just a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu so a tapout is definitely a possibility.
I will take the over 2.5 rounds, though. The pressure and power punching will likely keep Zabit on his bike and at distance for most of this one.
The (-210) is pricey still but I found Zabit by decision at (-105) on Bet365.
Parlay
- FighterOdds
- Zabit to Win -285
- Volkov to Win -265
- Bet 100.00 to Win 84.00
Ufc Fight Night 163 Odds For Today
In Conclusion
This should be a fun card. There may not be a ton of your favorite fighters and big names scrapping on Saturday but tune in still. You will learn a lot. It will pay off next time.
Last week was loaded with popular fighters and valuable picks. I’m glad we took advantage, of course, but there is a let down this week.
Ufc Fight Night 163 Odds
I really wanted to pick my friend Jessy Jess in her comeback fight but there are just so many factors going against her. She left the MMA and wrestling heavy academy of Xtreme Couture for a striking based academy in Cali.
When you’re kickboxing or practicing Muay Thai including sparring, you pretty much have control of what happens to your knee.
The clinch is a little different so maybe coming off of major surgery, she hasn’t been doing much of that either. There’s also the flight, jet lag, and time change to deal with.
Kianzad coming from nearby Sweden won’t have to deal with that. She is also the bigger woman naturally and Jess said on her social media a couple of weeks ago that she is lighter than ever before.
That’s great but when you’re already dealing with a size disadvantage, you will have to rely on speed. She is short on range and boxing ability as well. This is going to be a tough fight.
Kattar is 10x the martial artist Greg Hardy is and could take out the Russian superstar at any moment. He has the aggression and grit we haven’t seen from Hardy.
I think the former Cowboy’s tentativeness and Volkov’s patience should lead to the over bet hitting.
Zabit hasn’t been defeated in over 6 years and that is the sole loss of his career.
Let’s hope he plays the points game and Calvin can defend the potential submission attempts.
Remember to tune in the afternoon, guys!