UFC betting online: Two of the middleweight division’s best prospects will meet when Sam Alvey – 26-6, 17 KOs, 2 SUBs – and Derek Brunson – 13-3, 5 KOs, 4 SUBs – step into the octagon at UFC Fight Night 73 in Nashville. Brunson is currently No. 15 in the official UFC rankings – a position that the unranked Alvey would love to overtake. The pair will square off on the FOX Sports 1 main card to be headlined by Ovince St. Preux and former title challenger Glover Teixeira.
CURRENT ODDS
Check our UFC Fight Night 73 odds for the latest Brunson-Alvey money lines, and expect Brunson to be the favorite going into the bout. The over/under in this three rounder is likely to be set at 2.5 rounds, with the over being a slight favorite. Prop bets are typically released a day before the fight, so make sure to check our daily updates for the latest bets.
TAKING THE NEXT STEP
Brunson is 4-1 in the UFC, with his only loss coming to top contender Yoel Romero at UFC Fight Night 35. Another one of his losses came against another top-5 middleweight in Ronaldo Souza under the Strikeforce banner. However, with wins over Chris Leben, Lorenz Larkin and Ed Herman, it’s clear that Jackson’s MMA rep has the tools to be one of the better fighters at 185.
Alvey is currently riding a three-fight win streak since losing his UFC debut to Tom Watson in August 2014. While none of those wins have come against notable names, each came by first-round KO. That’s the kind of streak that gets you noticed in a sport desperate for flashy finishes. Now it’s time to see if he can keep it up against top-15 competition.
This is a brilliant bit of matchmaking by Joe Silva, pitting two prospects with fan-friendly styles against each other. A flashy victory by Brunson or Alvey would set the winner up for a fight against a big name opponent in the near future. While this fight won’t produce a signature win, it takes them one step closer to the opportunity.
FIGHT ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Alvey is a knockout artist, through and through. With 17 KOs in his 26 victories, the Team Quest standout makes no qualms about his desire to crack the chins of his opponents. Brunson doesn’t have the same power in his fists, but he does have a more dangerous ground game. However, it’s not Brunson’s style to drag the fight to the ground. Instead, I see him engaging Alvey in a standup war, where he’ll have the speed advantage.
While trading with Alvey is a dangerous game, I think Brunson is fast enough to take the bigger man out of his rhythm. The pick here is Brunson to win on points.
HOW TO BET
Sign in to get the latest Derek Brunson vs. Sam Alvey odds. Bookmaker offers daily updates to money lines, over/under, prop bets and more, so make sure to lock in your bets should you find a favorable wager. Their bout takes place at UFC Fight Night 73 on August 1, 2015 at the Nashville Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. FOX Sports 1 will televise the main card starting 10 p.m. ET.
Don’t forget to check in during fight night to get live odds. During each fight, Bookmaker updates their odds in real-time, so you can keep betting as each fight unfolds on live television. It’s a great way to hedge your bets should you fall behind. With our mobile platform, it’s never been easier to bet on UFC events.
