Donald Cerrone had never lost two fights in a row before falling to Robbie Lawler via unanimous decision at UFC 214 last July. But Cowboy will be trying to break a three-bout losing streak Sunday in Austin, Texas, where he takes on Yancy Medeiros as a -145 favorite (bet $145 to win $100) at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark in the main event at UFC Fight Night 126.
A 15-pound move by Cerrone (32-10, one no-contest) up to welterweight from lightweight started off successfully, with four straight victories and three consecutive Performance of the Night bonuses.
However, as the competition has gotten tougher at 170 pounds, the former 155-pound title contender has struggled. Ranked No. 11 at welterweight, Cerrone is coming off a first-round TKO loss to Darren Till at UFC Fight Night 118 last October, which was after a second-round TKO loss to Jorge Masvidal at UFC on Fox 23 in January 2017.
Meanwhile, Medeiros (15-4, 1 NC) has headed in the opposite direction, as he will bring a three-fight winning streak into the Octagon and the division’s No. 15 ranking.
The 30-year-old Hawaiian is four years younger than Cerrone and has a longer reach than his opponent at 75 inches despite being three inches shorter at 5’10”. Medeiros is listed as a +125 underdog (bet $100 to win $125) and has finished each of his last three foes (two knockouts and one submission) since suffering a unanimous-decision loss to Francisco Trinaldo in the Fight of the Night at UFC 198 in May 2016.
The co-main event preceding Cerrone vs. Medeiros is an evenly matched heavyweight battle, according to oddsmakers, between Marcin Tybura (16-3) and Derrick Lewis (18-5, 1 NC). Both suffered losses in their last fights yet each remain ranked in the Top 10.
Lewis had a six-fight winning streak snapped by a fourth-round TKO loss to Mark Hunt at UFC Fight Night 110 last June. After initially saying he would retire following that performance, Lewis took a bout against Fabricio Werdum at UFC 216 before bowing out due to a back injury. The No. 7 heavyweight is a +120 underdog versus Tybura.
Werdum fought Tybura instead at UFC Fight Night 121 a month afterward and scored a dominant unanimous-decision victory, ending the No. 9 fighter’s three-fight winning streak. Tybura is a -140 favorite against Lewis and had knocked out two of his three opponents before that November loss.
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