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Get a detailed breakdown of the betting lines for UFC 241, which is set to hit Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., this weekend (Sat., Aug. 17, 2019), including best bets, underdogs, favorites and much more!
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight champion, Daniel Cormier, will look to recreate his greatest victory to date this Saturday (Aug. 17, 2019) when he once again takes on Stipe Miocic in UFC 241’s pay-per-view (PPV) main event from inside Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The card will also feature the return of Nate Diaz against the resurgent Anthony Pettis and what’s basically a Godzilla movie between Yoel Romero and Paulo Costa.
UFC 241 is loaded with the potential for both incredible highlights and incredible profit. Let me explain below:
What Went Wrong at UFC on ESPN+ 14?
Honestly, I can’t get too worked up over the Chris Gutierrez vs. Geraldo de Freitas decision. The majority of the media scored it for the Brazilian, but I thought Gutierrez just barely eked it out — I feel like if de Freitas hadn’t spent so long sitting on his back with Gutierrez standing over him, he would have gotten the not. I know it’s a neutral position, but de Freitas did a lot in that fight that made it look like he was doing worse than he actually was. Oh, well.
UFC 241 Odds For The Undercard:
Devonte Smith (-750) vs. Khama Worthy (+450)
Cory Sandhagen (-175) vs. Raphael Assuncao (+155)
Drakkar Klose (-200) vs. Christos Giagos (+170)
Manny Bermudez (-135) vs. Casey Kenney (+115)
Hannah Cifers (-175) vs. Jodie Esquibel (+235)
Kyung Ho Kang (-175) vs. Brandon Davis (+155)
Shana Dobson (-120) vs. Sabina Mazo (EVEN)
Thoughts: I can see some big bargains in the smaller folks. Casey Kenney and Sabina Mazo are solid underdog bets, while Kyung Ho Kang remains a good investment despite negative odds.
Manny Bermudez is a lethal submission artist, but this seems like a rough match up for him. Kenney has the wrestling and judo to dictate every ground engagement; in fact, even Ray Borg struggled to establish position against him, and Kenney’s ability to consistently shut down Borg’s back control without leaving his neck out speaks volumes to his submission defense. Bermudez will struggle mightily to find the finish and I don’t see him winning a decision.
In short, bank on Casey.
I’ll be honest: Mazo badly underperformed in her first UFC fight against Maryna Moroz, showing little of her quality Muay Thai pedigree. Shana Dobson is a much more limited striker than Moroz, though, and lacks both Moroz’s height and her potent ground game. I expect a much stronger performance from Mazo in her sophomore appearance.
Brandon Davis is not a difficult man to take down. Kyung Ho Kang is an absolute beast from top position. The math checks out — so long as Kang doesn’t get it in his head to try trading bombs with Davis, this is his fight to lose. Parlay him with Sodiq Yusuff, whose colossal power makes him a prohibitive favorite against Gabriel Benitez, and reap the positive odds.
UFC 241 Odds For The Main Card:
Daniel Cormier (-145) vs. Stipe Miocic (+125)
Anthony Pettis (-135) vs. Nate Diaz (+115)
Yoel Romero (-140) vs. Paulo Costa (+120)
Sodiq Yusuff (-270) vs. Gabriel Benitez (+130)
Ian Heinisch (-150) vs. Derek Brunson (+130)
Thoughts: Anthony Pettis, come on down.
On paper, Pettis’ fight with Nate Diaz is a coin toss. That’s because Pettis doesn’t like pressure and Diaz doesn’t like kicks. Thing is, Diaz doesn’t have the wrestling that’s historically bothered Pettis, and Josh Thomson already laid out the blueprint for beating Diaz with movement and a varied kicking attack. Pettis is even better-equipped than Thomson to execute that gameplan, and that’s not even considering the fact that Diaz’s been out for almost three years. I favor “Showtime” in a big way and expect him to run circles around the prodigal Diaz brother.
UFC 241 Best Bets:
- Single bet — Casey Kenney: Bet $50 to make $57.50
- Single bet — Sabina Mazo: Bet $30 to make $30
- Parlay — Kyung Ho Kang and Sodiq Yusuff: Bet $40 to make $46
- Single bet — Anthony Pettis: Bet $67.50 to make $50
UFC 241 is a smorgasbord of quality violence is just what we need after last week’s terrible ending. See you Saturday, Maniacs.
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 241 fight card this weekend, starting with the Fight Pass “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET, before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC 241: “Cormier vs. Miocic 2” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.