Erick Silva – 18-5, 4 KOs, 11 SUBs – has always looked the part of a title contender, but has never been able to string together a run of significant wins in the octagon.
That can change in his matchup with Rick “The Horror” Story – 18-8, 4 KOs, 4 SUBs – who enters their UFC Fight Night 74 bout as the promotion’s No. 10 welterweight. The pair are scheduled to meet on the FOX Sports 1 main card.
CURRENT ODDS
Check our UFC Fight Night 74 odds for the latest Story-Silva money lines, and expect Story to be the favorite with a line around -140. Silva’s odds figure to be somewhere in the +125 range. The total on this three-rounder is likely to be set at 2.5 rounds, with the over being the more expensive play.
IT’S STORY TIME FOR SILVA
From 2010-2011, Story was arguably the next big thing at welterweight, starting his UFC career 6-1 and peaking with wins over future champion Johny Hendricks and former title challenger Thiago Alves. But back-to-back losses in 2011 kicked off a period of wild inconsistency for the 30-year old. Still, one does not fight 18 times in the UFC and compile an 11-6 record without a high level of skill.
Sliva’s own UFC career has been more uneven. The talented Brazilian alternated wins and losses for the better part of four years before putting together his current two-fight win streak. Like Story, Silva always seems to fall just short against top-tier opponents, as evidenced by losses to John Fitch, Dong Hyun Kim and Matt Brown.
While both men are a few fights away from being considered a contender, this is a fight that can send ripples throughout the division. A victory would put either Story or Silva on three-fight winning streak and provide a strong argument to face a name fighter like Hector Lomboard or Demian Maia.
FIGHT ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Story is an absurdly strong fighter, with a well-rounded game that has meat but little sizzle. His offense consists mainly of physical clinch work, takedowns and workmanlike boxing. The clinch is where he excels, as he uses his strength to wear his opponents down with headwork and knees.
Silva is among the best first-round fighters in the division, proving to be a monster early on. However, he’s far too reliant on his explosive athleticism, and his gas tank is often drained by round two. Against a grinder like Story, that’s a death sentence. I see the American draining the life out of Silva and pulling away to win a unanimous decision.
HOW TO BET
Sign in to get the latest Story vs. Silva 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.
