UFC betting online: Former Strikeforce contender Ovince St. Preux – 18-6, 9 KOs, 5 SUBs – could take his career to new heights when he steps into the octagon against former title challenger Glover Teixeira – 22-4, 13 KOs, 6 SUBs – in a light heavyweight tilt at UFC Fight Night 73. Their matchup will headline the Nashville card on FOX Sports 1, and there are plenty of title implications to consider.
CURRENT ODDS
Check our UFC Fight Night 73 odds for the latest money lines, and expect St. Preux to be the favorite, starting near minus-195. The over/under is likely to be set at 2.5-3.5 rounds, with the over being the more expensive bet. Main card prop bets are usually set a day or two before fight night, so remember to check back in for the all the latest odds.
OVINCE LOOKS CONVINCING
While St. Preux has been an intriguing talent since his Strikeforce days, the former NCAA football player has largely flown under the radar, even with a 7-1 record in his past eight fights. However, with easy wins over Patrick Cummins and hall-of-famer Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in his most recent bouts, OSP is getting a big step up in competition courtesy of matchmaker Joe Silva.
Teixeira enters the match on a two-fight losing skid, suffering back-to-back unanimous decision defeats to Jon Jones – in a title challenge – and Phil Davis. Prior to the slide, the noted slugger had reeled off 20 straight wins, including his first five fights in the UFC. Now on the first losing streak of his career, a third straight loss would be devastating to his status as a viable title contender.
An elite athlete at 205 pounds, St. Preux appears to have turned a corner at 32 years old. A win over Teixeira is exactly the type of signature win that he needs to signal his arrival as a true player in the division. OSP has twice fought elite fighters – Ryan Bader and Gegard Mousasi – and fell short in both attempts.
FIGHT ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
There are a handful of light heavyweights that are qualified to engage Teixeira in the feet without being separated from the senses, and OSP is not one of them. While St. Preux is hard hitter in his own right, he has to know that his best chance to win is to take this fight to the ground. Phil Davis proved that the 36-year old Brazilian can be held down and controlled by an elite wrestler, but OSP can’t be considered that either.
This is a gut feeling, but I think Teixeira can catch OSP with some big shots and win by TKO. Of course, the majority of the bout will be spent in the clinch, but St. Preux is not the type of dominant chain wrestler that can control Teixeira, who has decent takedown defense. I see the big Brazilian fending off OSP and tagging him in the 4th round en route to a TKO victory.
HOW TO BET
Sign in to get the latest Teixeira vs. St. Preux 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.
