UFC Fight Night 101 takes place on Saturday, November 27 at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia. The card airs live on FS1. Australian middleweight prospect Robert Whittaker (16-4, 7 KOs, 5 SUBs) will meet veteran Derek Brunson (16-3, 8 KOs, 4 SUBs) in the main event. Bet on the latest UFC odds at BookMaker.eu now!
The UFC heads to Australia for another Fight Night card this Saturday, and as usual, it’s filled with local prospects to bolster the home crowd. However, the card suffered a major loss as the headlining Luke Rockhold had to pull out of his contender bout with Ronaldo Souza. Still, the show must go on, but with Australian middleweight prospect Robert Whittaker taking over headlining duties against the surging Derek Brunson.
Also on the card are Aussies Kyle Noke and Jake Matthews. Let’s break down the night’s biggest fights.
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Main Event
Middleweight
Derek Brunson -130
Robert Whittaker +110
Over/under 2.5 rounds, over -125, under +105
Brunson made a name for himself as a dominating wrestler - he was a three-time DII All-American at UNC - but he’s evolved quickly at Jackson-Wink training alongside the likes of Jon Jones, Holly Holm and Carlos Condit. In fact, Brunson has scored three straight knockouts coming into the bout. More impressively, the last one came against Uriah Hall, an electric kickboxer.
He might not want to strike with Whittaker though. The 25-year old is an excellent athlete and even better boxer. And at middleweight, the Aussie is more aggressive and powerful then he was at 170. The increased volume in his fights at 185 has added a new wrinkle to his game.
Betting Breakdown
This is a close one, and the five round length as a main event will be a huge factor. While Kelly has fantastic takedown defense, I don’t see it holding up for 25 minutes if Brunson commits to wrestling.
UFC odds: Brunson UD Whittaker
Lightweights
Jake Matthews -190
Andrew Holbrook +160
Over/under 1.5 rounds, over -190, under +160
At 22, Matthews is a young prospect with a well-rounded skillset. He is a solid striker, has good timing with his wrestling and his grappling is effective. But he has yet to assert himself in any phase yet, getting by with his youth and athleticism. His inexperience showed in his last bout, as he was knocked out in the first round by Kevin Lee.
Like Matthews, Holbrook has a lot of good qualities, of which none really jump out on the page. He’s an aggressive boxer, throws hard knees in the clinch and is an above average grappler. In fact, nine of his 11 career victories have come by way of submission. But like his opponent, Holbrook is coming off a demoralizing first-round KO loss.
Betting Breakdown
Both men have only one loss each, and they are still developing as fighters. But in this case, Matthews has a higher ceiling and a bigger toolbox to threaten with. I’d lean towards him scoring a victory in front of the home crowd.
UFC odds: Matthews UD Holbrook
Welterweights
Kyle Noke +161
Omari Akhmedov -190
Over/under 1.5 rounds, over -175, under +150
Though Noke’s nickname is “KO”, he is much more of a volume puncher than a knockout puncher. His boxing is rudimentary, but the guy has an awesome arsenal of dangerous kicks that can leave opponents dazed in a hurry. His front snap kick that he knocked out Peter Sobotta with is an underrated highlight. Also, he’s got a ton of spinning stuff that looks cool and deals serious damage.
Until Omari Akhmedov stops throwing everything at full power, he’ll never have the balance to be a consistent fighter. His back-to-back losses followed the same pattern: throw as hard as he can in the first and fight winded starting from the middle of the second round. While this makes for great entertainment, it’s not conducive to winning.
Betting Breakdown
Both Noke and Akhmedov are mid-tier fighters at best, but Noke’s experience and ability to control the range with his kicks will be the difference here. If he can survive the first-round blitz, Noke should be able to pick off a tired opponent.
UFC Odds: Noke TKO Akhmedov, R3
How to Bet
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker sportsbook! Real-time spreads, totals, props and money line are all available so start betting with BookMaker today. UFC Fight Night 101 takes place on on Saturday, November 27 at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia. The card airs live on FS1.
