UFC betting online: Light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier – 16-1, 6 KOs, 5 SUBs – is set to defend his belt against former title challenger Alexander Gustaffson – 16-3, 10 KOs, 3 SUBs – in the headlining bout of UFC 192 in Houston. The bout will mark Cormier’s first title defense, having beaten Anthony Johnson at UFC 187 to claim Jon Jones’ vacated spot as the reigning king at 205 pounds.
CURRENT ODDS
The champion has opened as a favorite in all sportsbooks thus far, as high as minus-300 in a few cases. Gustaffson is more than a 2-to-1 underdog, hovering around plus+250. Oddsmakers are clearly looking at Cormier’s wrestling advantage, as Gustaffson has had trouble with grinders in the past. The over/under in this bout is likely to be set at 2.5 rounds, with the over going into minus territory.
CAN GUSTAFFSON BOUNCE BACK?
It’s interesting that the Swede is getting a title shot, coming off a knockout loss to Anthony Johnson this past January. But this wasn’t your run-of-the-mill defeat – Gustaffson was completely demolished and thoroughly humiliated in front of a frenzied home crowd. Oh yeah, the fight also happened to be a title eliminator.
To say that Gustaffson was visibly disappointed is an understatement. The professional fighter was openly in tears after the fight, apologizing to his fans for his failure. “The Mauler” then went into deep contemplation, briefly considering retirement before vowing to come back a better fighter. Now, mired in the deepest valley of his career, he finds himself in another title scrap.
But instead of Jon Jones, Gustaffson will face Daniel Cormier, who is an entirely different type of fighter. Where Jones is tall and rangy, Cormier is squat and compact. Bones is one of the most creative strikers in the UFC, while Cormier employs a classic boxing style. And though both men are elite wrestlers, Jones is a Greco-Roman stylist, while Cormier excels in the freestyle format.
Although Cormier was soundly beaten by Jones, he still is one of the very best fighters in the division. The AKA captain was an Olympic alternate in wrestling, and that base is how he continues to dominate today. He’s a plus athlete with surprising speed, and his boxing has evolved nicely under the tutelage of Javier Mendez.
FIGHT ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Gustaffson is one of the best strikers at 205, period. At 6’4, he’ll tower over the champion by half a foot in the octagon, further enhancing his advantage on the feet. While Johnson exposed Gustaffson’s inability to engage in a pure brawl, DC doesn’t have the type of one-punch KO power to follow the same path. Cormier’s best course of action is to get this fight to the ground and keep it there.
However, Gustaffson’s takedown defense has markedly improved since losing to Phil Davis in 2010, and even the great Jon Jones struggled with getting him to the ground. At plus+250, I think Gustaffson is a fantastic value, as he all the physical tools to sprawl and brawl his way to a victory.
HOW TO BET
Sign in to get the latest Cormier vs. Gustaffson 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 championship bout is scheduled for UFC 192, which takes place on October 3, 2015 at the Toyota Center in Houston. The main card is scheduled for pay-per-view starting 10 p.m. ET, following the prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.
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