Middleweight Vitor Miranda will look for his fourth straight victory against Chris Camozzi in matchup set for this Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 88 main card. At 37, Miranda has officially made his presence known inside the octagon with three straight first-round TKOs.
Now, the Brazilian will take a small step up in competition.
Bet on current UFC odds at BookMaker.eu
Vitor Miranda -225
Chris Camozzi +190
Over/under 2.5 rounds, over -165, under +140
Please note, the UFC odds at BookMaker are updated daily. The lines listed here may have changed since this article was posted.
THE STAKES
Count me among the many who felt that Miranda was notable only for competing in The Ultimate Fighter Brazil. But when you knock out three consecutive opponents, people take notice. While his level of opposition has been mediocre, the manner in which he’s winning has been impressive. A win over a respected fighter like Camozzi keeps him on future main cards, possibly against a top-15 guy.
Since losing four in a row from 2013-2014, Camozzi has righted the ship with a 4-1 record in his past five. The lone loss was as a late notice replacement against top contender Ronaldo Souza, so we can pretty much overlook that defeat. He’ll be stepping in the octagon for the 17th time this Saturday, and he’s pretty much a mid-tier gatekeeper at this point in his career. A win solidifies steady work in that role.
FIGHT BREAKDOWN
Miranda is a former pro kickboxer, and he’s most comfortable at long distance, where he has room to throw his hands and legs. His best shot is probably the head kick -- it set up two of his last three KOs -- but he’s ended a few fights with his fists. Though he’s nearing 40, his power has to be respected.
Against Clint Hester, Miranda showed surprisingly good grappling defense, and was able to dish out real damage from his half guard. It was unexpected from a fighter previously considered a one-dimensional striker, and it’s plausible that an old dog is learning new tricks.
Camozzi has been around the game for a long time, despite being just 29 years old. Like Miranda, he prefers to stand and throw, but is much less dynamic. A southpaw, Camozzi’s bread and butter is a nice, crisp 1-2. While that straight left doesn’t have knockout power, a few clean shots can quickly bruise up opponents.
The real strength of Camozzi’s game is his output. Much like a Michael Bisping, Camozzi finds his range and timing quickly, then sticks-and-moves ad infinitum. He’s not a strong wrestler, but can hit reactive takedowns and snatch submissions.
BETTING VALUES AND PREDICTION
This is a pace vs. power matchup between two strikers, but the difference here should be Miranda’s power and variety. While Camozzi sticks with his 1-2 plus round kicks, Miranda is throws all four limbs from low to high levels with equal aplomb. With his power, he only needs a few to seriously hurt Camozzi.
However, the safest bet is probably the over. Camozzi is as battle-tested as they come, so it won’t be so easy for Miranda to chase him down and put him out. Plus, Camozzi lacks knockout power, so we have to account for the fact that only one fighter in this matchup can end it early.
UFC odds: Vitor Miranda UD Chriz Camozzi
HOW TO BET
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker sportsbook! You can even wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Money lines, totals, props and money line are all available now. UFC Fight Night 88 takes place Saturday, May 29, 2016 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The card will be televised on FS1 starting 8 p.m. ET.
