Former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis was supposed to be the next generational talent at 155. “Showtime” started off his reign with a bang, but he was shockingly dominated by Rafael dos Anjos in one of the biggest upsets on the year. His comeback starts against veteran Eddie Alvarez at UFC Fight Night 81 in January, and odds are now available at BookMaker.
UFC Fight Night 81 odds at BookMaker.eu
Anthony Pettis - 300
Eddie Alvarez +240
Please note, the UFC odds listed here may have changed, as BookMaker updates their line on a daily basis.
ODDS ANALYSIS
I’m sure that Pettis will only get more expensive in the next few weeks. While Alvarez is as tough as they come, the general consensus is that he’s simply outgunned in this bout. There is a huge disparity in athleticism, and Pettis will enjoy a huge speed advantage.
GO TIME FOR SHOW TIME
Blessed with electric athleticism and terrifying offensive prowess, Pettis still might have the highest ceiling in the UFC’s lightweight division. He does tend to get injured pretty often, but he’s still just 28 years old. This is a fighter four straight stoppages over elite fighters like Donald Cerrone, Benson Henderson and Gilbert Melendez.
That is a murderer’s row of opposition that Pettis not only beat, but dominated. In Melendez and Henderson, he submitted two fighters that have never been submitted. He also beat Cerrone with a single body kick - and to this day it marks the only time that he’s been stopped by strikes.
Against Rafael dos Anjos, Pettis was clocked early with a monster shot that appeared to concuss him. While he gutted it out to a unanimous decision loss, Pettis took a beating for five rounds. There are many fans who feel that fight would’ve turned out different had Pettis not been dazed in the first, although he clearly seemed bothered by RDA’s pressure.
For a long time, Eddie Alvarez was considered one of the best fighters outside of the UFC. The former Bellator vet parlayed his promotional belt into a UFC ticket, but his much-anticipated UFC debut was a disappointment. He lost a clear decision to Cerrone, but the fact that Alvarez was matched up with one of the division’s best speaks to his skills.
He bounced back with a controversial split decision win against Gilbert Melendez at UFC 188, where Alvarez displayed his trademark grit. After clearly losing the first round, Alvarez battled back to sway the judges. Beating a former champion like Pettis could very well earn him a title shot.
THE EARLY PLAYS
If you were planning to bet on this fight, head to the sportsbook right now and put money on Pettis. As I stated earlier, I fully expect his line to shift further into chalk territory. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up close to -350 on fight night.
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.
