Two of the biggest MMA stars in Brazil will headline an event in their home country in May. Middleweight contender Ronaldo Souza - 22-4, 2 KOs, 16 SUBs - will meet former title challenger Vitor Belfort - 25-11, 18 KOs, 3 SUBs at UFC Fight Night 87 in May. There are plenty of title implications here, and odds are already up now in the sportsbook.
Bet on UFC Fight Night 87 odds at BookMaker.eu
Ronaldo Souza -350
Vitor Belfort +250
Over/under 1.5 rounds, over -140, under +100
EARLY ANALYSIS
The odds at BookMaker show Souza as a significant early favorite, which surprises me a bit. Oddsmakers don’t seem to like the new, post-TRT version of Belfort. The low over/under at 1.5 rounds for this five-round main event is somewhat surprising too, but Belfort fights do tend to end in the first round. If anything, I’d expect Belfort’s line to become slightly more expensive as we move closer to fight night.
THE STAKES
Jacare is coming off a close split decision loss to Yoel Romero at UFC 194 in a fight that effectively served as a title eliminator. It’s a tough setback for the former Strikeforce champion, but a win over an established name like Belfort could earn him the No. 1 contender spot, now that it looks like Romero is going to get popped for a banned substance.
For Belfort, a win keeps in him the top-5 discussion, yet he’s a bit further from a second title challenge than Jacare. Belfort got pounded out by then-champion Chris Weidman at UFC 187, so he’ll need a few more wins to justify another shot at the strap. He does have an interesting history with current champion Luke Rockhold, who he knocked out with a spectacular spinning heel kick in his UFC debut. Rockhold has been vocal about getting that win back ever since.
At 38, Belfort remains one of the most dangerous strikers in the division. His last four victories have come by way of KO/TKO, and what’s most impressive has been the diversity of those finishes. Two have come by head kicks, another by spinning heel kick, and his most recent win against Dan Henderson was courtesy of his lightning fast punches.
Souza is widely regarded as one of the best submission artists in all of MMA, and is a multiple-time world champion in BJJ. He’s also evolved into a dangerous boxer, with punishing power in his strikes. Still, it would be unwise for “Jacare” to test his standup against a premier knockout artist like Belfort.
THE EARLY PLAYS
Like I stated earlier, it’s puzzling why Belfort is such a big underdog, and I love his money line at +250. While his body might not be as ripped as it once was now that he’s off TRT, his speed and power are still there. A small bet on Belfort to score a flash KO isn’t a bad play.
The over on 1.5 rounds at -140 seems like a great value as well. Souza will want to take this fight to the ground at all costs, and it’ll take a while for him to find his submissions against Belfort - who is also a BJJ black belt. I could easily see Jacare dragging this fight into third round at the very least.
BET ON UFC FIGHTS NOW
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker sportsbook! Real-time money lines, 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 87 takes place on Saturday, May 14, 2016 in Brazil, and the card will be televised live on FOX Sports 1.
