UFC betting online: Less than a month after scoring a first-round KO at the TUF 21 finale, Willie Gates – 12-5, 5 KOs, 4 SUBs – is back in action, replacing the injured Dustin Ortiz at UFC Fight Night 73. The Pinnacle MMA flyweight will face veteran Dustin Ortiz – 5 KOs, 4 SUBs – who’s looking to bounce back from a loss to Joe Benavidez in November 2014. Gates and Ortiz are scheduled to meet on the prelim portion of the card, which will be televised on FOX Sports 2.
CURRENT ODDS
Ranked No. 11 by the UFC, Ortiz should be the favorite in our UFC Fight Night 73 odds, probably starting around minus-150. The over/under in this three-round out will likely be set at 2.5 rounds, given that flyweights usually go to the final bell. I’d expect the over to be as much as minus-190 come fight night.
A FAMILY TO FEED
In an interview with MMA reporter Ariel Helwani, Gates pled with the UFC for more fights: “Dana, I got six kids, let me feed them.” I can’t really think of any better reason for wanting more fights. Gates is certainly riding some momentum after scoring an awesome 96 second knockout of Darrel Montague in his last bout. The win put some distance between his loss to former title challenger John Moraga in his UFC debut.
The 26-year old Ortiz is 3-2 in the UFC, with losses to John Moraga and top contender Joe Benavidez. However, the Roufusport product has shown the ability to beat mid-level UFC guys like Ray Borg and Justin Scroggins. While Ortiz is the No. 11 flyweight according to the UFC rankings, that’s more a testament to how thin the division is then his current body of work.
It only takes a few big wins at 125 to climb into the top 10, and Gates could vault into the rankings with a win over Ortiz. While none of these guys will be challenging champion Demetrious Johnson any time soon, there’s still a lot to like about these youngsters.
FIGHT ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Expect an extremely fast-paced matchup between two athletic, well-rounded flyweights. Ortiz has a habit of fighting up or down to the competition, as evidenced by three split decisions inside the octagon. Gates is a much more explosive fighter, with six first-round finishes in his past seven fights. It’s hard to find that kind of finishing ability in the flyweight division, and I think that aggressiveness will be the difference here. Gates is extremely eager to make his mark in the UFC, and I see him taking the fight with a unanimous decision.
HOW TO BET
Sign in to get the latest Gates vs. Ortiz 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, with prelims on FOX Sports 2 and UFC Fight Pass.
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.
