The injury bug has bit again, and this one hurts. Shogun Rua, former Pride superstar, will miss the opportunity to compete in the country where he became an MMA legend. Taking his place opposite contender Ovince St. Preux is former middleweight title challenger Yushin Okami. It will be the Japanese fighter’s second run inside the octagon, as he was cut from the promotion in 2013.
Check out the top-5 sportsbooks for the best UFC betting odds. Today, we’ll look at the UFC odds at BookMaker.eu to break down your options.
Opening UFC odds at BookMaker.eu
Yushin Okami +385
Ovince St. Preux -555
Over/under 1.5 rounds, over -195, under +155
Matchup Preview
We need to be fair to Okami: the main reason he was cut from the UFC was that Dana White considered him a boring fighter. Which is kind of true, but Okami was still a top-10 middleweight at the time. The loss that sent him packing came against Ronaldo Souza, a bona fide mauler and a current title contender.
Since then, the 36-year old has gone 5-2, with losses to David Branch and Jon Fitch. He’s also dropped down to welterweight in an effort to stay competitive. So in facing OSP, he’s moving up 35 pounds and two weight classes.
That size difference is going to be a huge issue for Okami. His best skills are wrestling and top control, and he’s always had problems against guys he can’t take down. When forced to strike, he’s got a stiff jab and that’s about it. It’s tough to see him being able to take down St. Preux, a solid wrestler in his own right.
Okami might be able to find comfort in the fact that St. Preux is a fighter whose career might be catching up to him. After going five rounds with Jon Jones in a losing 2016 effort, OSP met knockout artist Jimi Manuwa in a bout he was slightly favored to win. He gassed after just one round, setting himself to get brutally knocked out in the second frame.
Shockingly, it happened again one fight later, this time against against Volkan Oezdemir - an unknown fighter who was making his UFC debut on just a few weeks notice. In that matchup, St. Preux closed as a -333 favorite and lost a close split decision.
Despite OSP’s recent failures, one still has to wonder how hard Okami can go after him on just a few days notice. The Knoxville native also looked spry in his last matchup against Marcos Rogerio de Lima.
UFC Betting Tips
St. Preux is the obvious choice here. There are just too many obstacles working against Okami, from the size difference to the lack of a full training camp. Laying the price on OSP to win is the safe play, despite the fact that he’s suffered a few big upsets.
If you want to gamble, consider the rounds over. While Okami is outmatched, he is tough, durable and experienced. There’s a good chance he makes it past the round total.
UFC Odds Pick: St. Preux to win at -555, Over 1.5 rounds +155
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UFC Fight Night 117 takes place on Friday, September 22, 2017 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The card airs live on FXX.
