UFC 210 takes place on Saturday, April 8, 2017 at the Keybank Center in Buffalo, New York. The card airs on pay-per-view following the FS1 prelims. LIght heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier (18-1, 6 KOs, 5 SUBs) will defend his title in a rematch with Anthony Johnson (22-5, 16 KOs) in the main event. Bet on UFC odds at BookMaker.eu now!
The light heavyweight division’s premier wrestler will once again clash with it’s most dangerous knockout artist. We are of course talking about this Saturday’s title rematch between champion Daniel Cormier and Anthony Johnson. In their first encounter, DC walked away with a victory after softening up “Rumble” for a third-round rear-naked choke victory.
Let’s take a look at the UFC fight odds at BookMaker.eu and break down your betting options. Please note, UFC odds are updated daily and subject to change.
Main Event
Light Heavyweight Championship
Anthony Johnson -120
Daniel Cormier +100
Over/under 1.5 rounds, over -156, under +131
Odds Analysis
Since DC opened as an 8-point favorite, but in the past few days he’s become the underdog at +100. In contrast, Johnson’s line has moved down to -120, signifying that a lot of the action has been on Rumble recently. The over/under for this five-rounder is 1.5 rounds - the lowest possible total - which is something we’ve come to expect any time Rumble steps into the ring. That knockout power is flat out scary.
How Johnson Wins
Rumble needs to keep this fight standing, where his nuclear striking can render somebody senseless with a simple touch. This may seem obvious, but it’s a tough task against a former Olympian wrestler. He’s had success shrugging off the takedowns of NCAA champion Phil Davis, but Cormier is a different animal.
He also must keep this fight at arm’s distance, as the clinch is where much of DC’s offense starts. The champ thrives in close quarters combat, grabbing a hold of the neck and launching short uppercuts. Rumble is the taller, longer fighter, and there will be a sweet spot where he can land and DC can’t.
It’s also important that Rumble realizes that this is a fight that could very likely go the distance. DC has never been knocked out, and was one of the few fighters to actually recover from a knockdown courtesy of Johnson. He cannot punch himself out searching for a knockout, and he must be opportunistic with his explosive bursts of offense.
How Cormier Wins
This fight needs to get ugly. Trying to kickbox with Johnson is a losing proposition for any fighter - Cormier knows this as well as anyone. Obviously, Rumble will be working on his takedown defense, so it’s going to take some work to grind him down.
The clinch is where much of this fight has to take place. More specifically, Cormier needs to press Rumble’s back into the cage and grind. Headfighting, dirty boxing and level changes will all be necessary to drain the challenger’s stamina meter.
And once DC gets that first takedown, you can pretty much expect the rest of the fight to take place on the mat with him on top. There’s a reason why DC considers himself the king of the grind - breaking the will of his opponents is something he takes pride in.
How You Should Bet
There are fantastic arguments for both fighters here, and DC is especially tempting as an underdog. However, the safest play is the over on 1.5 rounds at -145, which isn’t much more expensive than picking a winner
DC has never been knocked out, and we can assume that he will implement a gritty gameplan to try and sap Rumble’s energy. Conversely, expect Johnson to be more patient and pick his shots. This should definitely go past the 2:30 mark of round 2.
UFC odds pick: Over 1.5 rounds -156
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UFC 210 takes place on Saturday, April 8, 2017 at the Keybank Center in Buffalo, New York. The card airs on pay-per-view following the FS1 prelims.
