Middleweight sluggers Thiago Santos (16-5, 11 KOs, 1 SUB) and Anthony Smith (28-12, 14 KOs, 11 SUBs) will meet at UFC Fight Night 125 on Saturday, February 3, 2018 at the Guilherme Paraense Arena in Belem, Brazil. The card airs live on FS1. Bet on the latest UFC odds and get the latest previews, predictions and picks at BookMaker.eu now!
How good can a 28-12 fighter be? That’s a question for Anthony Smith, a towering middleweight who has seemingly overcome early career struggles en route to a 4-1 UFC record, with three straight wins coming into a Saturday matchup with UFC vet Thiago Santos.
For the 29-year old “Lionheart”, this is a chance to lock up a ranked opponent in his next outing. That’d be a huge step for Smith, who is seen as little more than an action fighter at this point.
Let’s take a look at the UFC odds at BookMaker.eu and break down your best betting options.
UFC Odds at BookMaker.eu
Thiago Santos -285
Anthony Smith +223
Over/under 1.5 rounds, over +120, under -140
Matchup Preview
Smith’s size is something you notice right away. Standing 6’4” with a filled out frame, “Lionheart” is one of the bigger 185 pounders in the division, right up there with Luke Rockhold. He is a Thai-style striker, which suits his long limbs well. At range, Smith likes to throw long kicks, but is perfectly comfortable at any distance, and can generate a lot of force with elbows and knees with the collar tie.
Though he struggles against strong wrestlers - as evidenced in his loss to Cezar Ferreira - Smith won’t have to worry about that against Thiago Santos. The Brazilian averages less than half a takedown per 15 minutes, preferring to let his fists do the talking. With 11 KOs in 16 career wins, it’s clear that Santos has some pop to his strikes.
Because Santos won’t have to worry about takedowns either, he can commit to his brutal kicking game. Low-key the Brazilian is one of the hardest kickers in the weight class, and his foot to the liver is particularly debilitating. He was able to take out Jack Marshman with a spinning wheel kick, which shows you how diverse his striking arsenal can be.
Smith’s best chance at victory is in the clinch, where he can take away Santos’ long-distance game and bang him with knees and ‘bows. Santos will want chip away at Lionheart with his power strikes and take this with a higher output.
UFC Betting Tips
It’s easy to fall in love with Smith’s size and slick submission game, but we lean towards Santos here. Things might get rocky if Smith gets makes it a grueling clinch battle, but Santos’ power and striking defense is something you can bank on - especially against fellow kickboxers. He’s got a great chance to finish this early.
UFC Odds Pick: Santos inside the distance at -174
Bet on UFC odds at BookMaker.eu
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 125 takes place on Saturday, February 3, 2018 at the Guilherme Paraense Arena in Belem, Brazil. The card airs live on FS1.
