Dominick Cruz never lost his belt in the cage - it was stripped from him after he could not stay healthy consistently enough to defend him. Now, the lineal champ has an opportunity to become the titleholder once again when he faces current champion T.J. Dillashaw in just a few weeks. BookMaker has already listed odds for this championship bout for you gamblers who want to get in on the action early.
UFC Fight Night 81 odds at BookMaker.eu
Dominick Cruz +130
T.J. Dillashaw -160
Please note, the odds listed here may have changed, as BookMaker updates their line on a daily basis.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The odds at Bookmaker are pretty close between the two fighters, with Dillashaw coming in as a clear favorite. It’s tough to predict which way this will swing, since Cruz looked like he hadn’t lost a step since returning from a three-year injury hiatus. However, I’d expect the current champ to become more expensive, as he’s been far more active.
MIRROR FIGHTING STYLES
What makes this fight so compelling is that Dillashaw seems to have mastered the style that made Cruz so dominant. Both men rely on hyperactive movement, clean angles and pressure. They’ll dart in, throw heavy combinations, then leap back out of range.
Dillashaw’s work with striking coach Duane Ludwig is paying off in spades. Once considered just another strong wrestler from Team Alpha Male, T.J.’s standup game is now his forte. He still has immensely strong takedowns, but now uses them as a threat to keep opponents off balance. Then he’ll wallop ‘em good with heavy hands.
The bout also marks the first fight for Dillashaw with Team Elevation. A longtime member of Team Alpha Male, Dillashaw had a messy divorce with the Sacramento fight team. Time will tell if his new team can make him even better.
When Cruz came back at UFC 178 to face Takeya Mizugaki, he looked like the same elite fighter while posting a 61-second knockout victory. The fight marked his first in three years. However, he suffered another torn ACL this past December and hasn’t been since. He’s now had multiple major surgeries on both knees.
Simply put, this is the biggest fight that the UFC can make in the bantamweight class. The division has always had some trouble drawing casual interest, which seems to stop at featherweight. But there’s plenty of natural intrigue here for marketing purposes, and it helps that the two genuinely don’t seem to like each other.
THE EARLY PLAYS
I’m leaning slightly towards Dillashaw in this one. While Cruz looked awesome against Mizugaki, all those surgeries had to have taken some kind of toll on the 30-year old. And while he was on the sidelines recovering, Dillashaw was training and evolving. You might want to place a bet on Dillashaw now, as his line could get more expensive in the coming weeks.
HOW TO BET
Access live betting lines at BookMaker Sportsbook and start wagering now. With our live betting options, you can also wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. UFC Fight Night 81 takes place on Sunday, January 17, 2016 at the TD Garden in Boston, MA. The main card and prelims will be televised on FOX Sports 1.
