Salt Lake City’s Sean O’Connell – 17-6, 9 KOs, 3 SUBs – has drawn the task of welcoming Latvian Misha Cirkunov – 9-2, 3 KOs, 4 SUBs to the octagon. Cirkunov enters the UFC on the strength of a four-fight win streak in regional promotions.
The pair will meet in at UFC Fight Night 74 in Saskatchewan, and the light heavyweight matchup will headline the FOX Sports prelims set to begin at 7 p.m. ET.
CURRENT ODDS
Check our online UFC odds for the latest money lines on O’Connell and Cirkunov. The total in this three-rounder will likely be set at 2.5 rounds, with the under being the slightly more expensive play. Prop bets, like who will win the fight and which round it’ll end, are usually released the morning of fight night, so make sure to check back in to see all your available options.
THE LEAD-IN
O’Connell began his UFC career with a knockout loss to Ryan Jimmo in a fight he took on short notice. The American then dropped a split decision to Gian Villante, but has since bounced back with two straight victories. Most recently, he dropped in the first round Anthony Perosh at UFC Fight Night 65 to earn a Fight of the Night bonus.
Cirkunov is a native Latvian who trains at Xtreme Couture in Toronto. Currently on a four-fight winning streak, the 28-year old’s UFC ticket was mainly punched by his flashy head kick TKO win over UFC veteran Rodney Wallace in the regional HKFC promotion. At 6’3”, Cirkunov enters the promotion as one of the bigger light heavies, and his combination of KO and submission finishes speaks to a well-rounded game.
The stakes here are nominal in the context of the light heavyweight title picture, but Cirkunov could be one to watch at 205. O’Connell’s ceiling isn’t very high – he doesn’t have headlining talent – but he could become a fixture on the main cards. Both fighters would certainly love to graduate from the prelims.
FIGHT ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
O’Connell loves himself a good brawl, often walking straight forward with his guns blazing. If that doesn’t work, he often initiates a clinch, where he grinds away with short knees and dirty boxing. Against a rookie like Cirkunov, his pressure could work as an advantage, but the Latvian’s size and strength is a serious obstacle. I expect Cirkunov’s technical emphasis to break through O’Connell’s defenses en route to a unanimous decision victory.
HOW TO BET
Sign in to get the latest O’Connell vs. Cirkunov 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 takes place at UFC Fight Night 74 on August 23, 2015 at the Sasktel Centre in Sakatoon, Canada. FOX Sports 1 will televise the main card starting 9 p.m., with the prelims starting at 7 p.m. ET.
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.
