Hopefully, you picked a few underdogs going into UFC on FOX 17. Three of the four main card fights resulted in upsets - including a shocker from the biggest underdog of the night. Let’s take a look at what went down this past Saturday in Orlando. And if you gamblers followed my picks, let’s just say I apologize for going 1-3 with my selections.
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RAFAEL DOS ANJOS GETS RESPECT
The lightweight champion was the only favorite to emerge victorious, and it looked like he should’ve been an even more expensive bet than the -270 he closed at. Perhaps it’s time to give the Brazilian the respect he deserves. His title reign atop a division loaded with talented stars has largely been ignored, and he’s by far the least lauded champion on the roster.
This is a man that knocked out Benson Henderson, beat up Nate Diaz and Anthony Pettis for five rounds and put away Donald Cerrone in 66 seconds. And with each passing fight, he’s looking more like a destructive force of nature. I really doubt the UFC is going to want to throw its golden goose, Conor McGregor, into the cage with him now. It wouldn’t be good for an unassuming killer like dos Anjos to run roughshod through the promotion’s biggest star.
ALISTAIR OVEREEM MAKES A TITLE BID
The odds at BookMaker pegged Overeem as a +270 underdog in his match with dos Santos, but the Dutch kickboxer silenced the doubters with a monstrous left hook that floored the former heavyweight champion. It was a tepid fight for the most part, with both men unwilling to really unload with their potent striking.
Still, a win over dos Santos is a major statement for the now-free agent Overeem. Cain Velasquez is the only other man to have beaten the Brazilian. Overeem makes sense as the next title challenger, regardless of whether it’s Fabricio Werdum or Velasquez. He’s one of the only premier big men to have never faced Cain, and he already owns a win over Werdum.
WELCOME BACK, NATE DIAZ
The Stockton bad boy entered the cage as a +300 underdog, yet laid a thorough beatdown on the ranked Michael Johnson en route to an entertaining unanimous decision. It was his first fight in over a year. Diaz appeared to be in the best shape of his career, and wore down the speedy Johnson with crisp technical boxing and a heavy dose of in-ring taunting. We wouldn’t expect any less from the brash lightweight.
A rejuvenated Diaz has plenty of options in the division. His expletive-filled post-fight callout of Conor McGregor ignited plenty of interest, as it would pit two of the best trash talkers in the promotion against each other. It’s unlikely that it’ll happen, but it’s fun to speculate nonetheless.
KAROLINA KOWALKIEWICZ MAKES SUCCESSFUL DEBUT
Undefeated Polish striker Karolina Kowalkiewicz took care of business against the respected Randa Markos in her UFC debut. But it appears she has a long way to go before joining countrywoman Joanna Jedrzejczyk among the strawweight division’s elite. Still, she proved herself a quality competitor in a division that sorely needs more legitimate fighters.
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Access live betting lines at BookMaker Sportsbook and start wagering now. With our live betting options, you can also wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. UFC 195 takes place Saturday, January 2, 2016 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card will be televised on pay-per-view following the prelims on FOX Sports 1.
