Former Bellator champion Will Brooks passed his first test in the UFC, snatching to a unanimous decision over Ross Pearson this past July. This Saturday, he’ll take a step up in competition against Alex “Cowboy” Oliveira, an athletic kickboxer who has won four of his past five. The pair will meet on the main card portion of UFC Fight Night 95 in Portland.
Bet on UFC odds at BookMaker.eu
Will Brooks -255
Alex Oliveira +210
Over/under 2.5 rounds, over -190, under +160
Please note, the UFC odds at BookMaker are updated daily.
Fight Preview
Brooks has won nine straight fights, with eight of those coming in Bellator. Though Scott Coker’s promotion is widely regarded the No. 2 MMA promotion in the world, we still have to take Brooks’ past accomplishments with a grain of salt - the level of competition is simply not as high as it is in the UFC.
Still, Brooks has been facing Bellator’s best fighters for a while. Two wins over Michael Chandler and a victory over Marcin Held cannot be taken lightly. His resume, without a doubt, is more impressive than Oliveira’s.
It’s not as if the Brazilian Cowboy has been facing the top-level UFC fighters either. Donald Cerrone is the only top-10 opponent he’s faced, and Oliveira was outclassed en route to a first-round submission loss. Though he’s racked up a respectable 4-2 UFC record, his most notable win is arguably over K.J. Noons or James Moontasri.
But that doesn’t mean it’s going to be an easy fight for Chandler. Oliveira is a high-level Muay Thai stylist with 9 KOs in 14 career victories. He is a huge lightweight who has spent time at 170, and possesses superb athleticism to boot. It only takes a few explosive outbursts from Cowboy to seriously damage a competitor.
Chandler is a control freak - and by that I mean he loves to take foes down and keep their backs pinned to the mat. Striking isn’t a natural strength, and his attempts to brawl with Ross Pearson - a good boxer - didn’t go very well. Trying to oblige Cowboy in a kickboxing match would be a foolhardy approach.
How You Should Bet
Brooks is a prime candidate to be upset against a dangerous opponent, but he does possess the greater sum of skills. As long as he’s fighting to win - and not please the fans - he should be able to grind out a decision based on the strength of his wrestling.
The safest play here seems to be the over. The greatest threat to end the fight early is a clean Oliveira hit, but Brooks has only been knocked out once in 19 fights. Plus, Brooks is clearly a fighter who mainly wins by decision - which is the case in seven of his past nine.
UFC Odds: Brooks UD Oliveira
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 96 takes place on Saturday, October 1, 2016 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. FOX Sports 1 will televise the main card starting 9 p.m. ET following the Fight Pass prelims.
