Bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt (11-0, 9 KOs) will defend his title against rival T.J. Dillashaw (14-3, 6 KOs, 3 SUBs) at UFC 217 on Saturday, November 4, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. The main card airs live on pay-per-view starting 9 p.m. Bet on the latest UFC odds at BookMaker.eu now!
After a whole season of watching Cody Garbrandt beef with T.J. Dillashaw as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter, the arch-rivals will finally square off in the co-main event of this Saturday’s UFC 217. The matchup marks Garbrandt’s first title defense after a career-defining performance against Dominick Cruz. It’s also an opportunity for T.J. to win back the belt after losing it to Cruz in January 2016.
Let’s take a look at the UFC odds at BookMaker.eu and break down the matchup, along with your best betting options.
UFC odds at BookMaker.eu
Cody Garbrandt -175
T.J. Dillashaw +140
Over/under 3.5 rounds, over -165, under +145
Matchup Preview
These two were originally scheduled to meet at UFC 213 back in July, but the bout was postponed after Cody Garbrandt suffered a back injury. He’s since received stem-cell injections and is reported to be fully healthy. But anybody that follows any sport knows how dangerous back injuries can be - especially for somebody as athletic as Garbrandt.
Garbrandt shocked a lot of people with his upset win over Dominick Cruz. Nearly a 2-1 underdog, “No Love” became the first fighter to solve Cruz’s enigmatic, off-rhythm fighting style. From the get-go, his speed, hands and power were too much for Cruz, who couldn’t find a groove nor threaten with takedowns against a talented wrestler.
What made this win particularly surprising was that Garbrandt made a massive leap as a fighter, elevating his game from fighting mid-level guys to beating one of the UFC’s more dominant champions. And at 26, he’s only just entering his prime.
While it’s easy to look Dillashaw as a Cruz clone - mainly due to the footwork and the body leans - T.J. is arguably the more dangerous opponent. The Elevation Fight Team member uses his movement to pressure fighters, whereas Cruz usually plays matador. Garbrandt is usually the one pressing forward, so it’ll be interesting to see how he responds to T.J.’s preference to land in volume.
Dillashaw is also more athletic and authoritative with his takedowns than Cruz. That will be an important factor in this pairing, as Garbrandt has never been taken down. If T.J. can establish even a hint of wrestling threat, that could change the complexion of the champ’s offense.
UFC Betting Tips
Basically, this comes down to whether you think that Garbrandt’s showing against Cruz was the real deal or not. If that version of No Love shows up - or has even improved - than Dillashaw will fail to land takedowns and get beaten to the punch. No amount of Cruz’s footwork and trickery was a match for Garbrandt’s speed, accuracy and power, and that would likely be the case for Dillashaw.
At -153, Garbrandt is playable, but tread carefully as Dillashaw is a live ‘dog in this matchup.
UFC Odds Pick: Garbrandt to win at -175
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UFC 217 takes place on Saturday, November 4, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. The main card airs live on pay-per-view starting 9 p.m.
