Two of the world’s best 170-pounders will square off for the right to to be the next title challenger. Former welterweight champion Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks – 17-3, 8 KOs, 1 SUB – and top contender Tryon Woodley – 15-3, 5 KOs, 5 SUBs – will meet in a title eliminator at UFC 192 in Houston.
While this fight might be flying under the radar in lieu of a barrage of high-profile matchmaking, this is a bout you don’t want to sleep on.
CURRENT ODDS
Check our online UFC odds for the latest money Hendricks-Woodley money lines, where Hendricks is currently a -270 favorite. Woodley is more than a 2-to-1 underdog with a +210 money line. The total is likely to be set at 2.5 rounds, with the over as the more expensive bet.
NEXT STOP: TITLE FIGHT
The UFC currently ranks Hendricks as the No. 1 contender, with Woodley at No. 3 overall. Bigg Rigg is 1-2 in title fights, with a contentious loss to semi-retired Georges St. Pierre and a win and loss to current champion Robbie Lawler. The former Division I collegiate wrestling champion was most recently in action at UFC 185 this past March, where he cruised to a unanimous decision over the resurgent Matt Brown.
Woodley is a decorated amateur wrestler in his own right, and is 4-1 in his past five fights, with the loss coming against divisional No. 2 Rory MacDonald. However, with wins over current title challenger Carlos Condit, top-15 stalwart Dong Hyun Kim and the class’ hottest prospect in Kelvin Gastelum, T-Wood’s resume for a title shot is as strong as anyone’s.
Although Robbie Lawler became the first man since the GSP era to successfully defend his title, it feels like his reign could be ended by any of the top five welterweights. There isn’t one dominant person who is clearly at the head of the pack, like Rousey at bantamweight, Jon Jones at light heavyweight or Demetrious Johnson at flyweight. It’s very plausible that the winner of this bout could be a champion by the time his next fight ends.
FIGHT ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Both men are elite wrestlers, and it’s likely that their mat skills will cancel each other out, leading to a prolonged bout on the feet. Hendricks is the more powerful puncher, with legit one-punch KO power. However, Woodley is the better athlete, with explosive speed and potent strikes of his own. While they both are very good in the clinch, Hendricks’ prefers dirty boxing while Woodley relies more on strong posture and knees.
The problem for Woodley is that he tends to burn through his gas tank rather quickly. He is a heavily muscled fighter, and his explosive outbursts have markedly less pop past round two. Hendricks has shown that he can turn his matchups into a grind, and he’s one of the few fighters who can force Woodley to do so. The pick is the former champ to win a unanimous decision.
HOW TO BET
Sign in to get the latest Hendricks vs. Woodley odds. BookMaker offers daily updates to money lines, total, prop bets and more, so make sure to lock in your bets should you find a favorable wager. Their bout is set for UFC 192, which takes place October 3, 2015 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Televised coverage of the main card begins at 10 p.m. ET, with the prelims set for FOX Sports 1.
Don’t forget to check in during fight night to get live odds. During each fight, BookMaker updates their odds in real-time, so you can keep betting as each fight unfolds on live television. It’s a great way to hedge your bets should you fall behind. With our mobile platform, it’s never been easier to bet on UFC events.
