A compelling new welterweight contender has emerged. Stephen Thompson, once considered just an entertaining striker, demolished former champion Johny Hendricks to seize the welterweight spotlight and possibly the No. 1 contender spot. The rest of the main card was pretty brutal to watch, but let’s make some matchups and odds projections.
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Stephen Thompson -120 vs. Robbie Lawler +110
After a thrilling performance that left spectators and analysts in awe, it’s safe to say that Thompson would probably come into match against welterweight champion Robbie Lawler as a favorite. FOX Sports analysts Dominick Cruz and Michael Bisping already surmised that Thompson’s style would be a horrible matchup for Lawler, and Bisping predicted that Wonderboy would be a champion before the year’s end.
Roy Nelson -130 vs. Matt Mitrione -110
Nelson, a fan favorite even at 39 years old, deserves better than Jared Rosholt’s dismal performance. A matchup with fellow bomber Antonio Silva should quickly erase the bitter taste from our mouths. Silva is coming off a knockout loss to Mark Hunt.
Ovince St. Preux +220 vs. Alexander Gustafsson -300
OSP overcame an ankle injury to gut out a decision against the listless Rafael Cavalcante. It wasn’t pretty, but St. Preux should maintain his status as a top-6 light heavyweight. Although Gustafsson has lost two straight, St. Preux could still raise his stock with a win over the Swede.
Joe Benavidez -120 vs. John Dodson +110
With Demetrious Johnson set to face Henry Cejudo, a matchup between the No. 1 ranked Benavidez and the No. 2 John Dodson makes sense as a title eliminator. If Benavidez keeps winning, it’d be impossible to deny him another shot at the title.
Misha Cirkunov -150 vs. Ilir Latifi +175
Canadian Misha Cirkunov is a prospect to watch at 205, and now it’s time to see how he’d do against a top-15 opponent. Latifi fits the bill and is riding two straight wins, both first-round knockouts.
Mickey Gall -160 vs. CM Punk +130
Gall is now 2-0 as a pro fighter, and showed impressive poise in his UFC debut. Now that he’s secured a matchup with superstar wrestler CM Punk, Gall would have to be the favorite based on the fact that he’s the more “experienced fighter.” He’s also more than 10 years the junior of Punk, which is another factor that oddsmakers would have to consider.
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Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker sportsbook! Real-time spreads, totals, props and money line are all available now. You can even wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform.UFC Fight Night 83 takes place on Saturday, February 21, 2016 at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The card will be televised on FOX Sports 1.
