There are a lot of fighters that believe that Jimmie Rivera is a future titlist at 135-pounds. The 26-year old could announce his arrival as a contender this Saturday when he faces No. 15 ranked Iuri Alcantara. Casual fans might be surprised that this matchup is on the main card - neither fighter is a big name - but the UFC is giving a prized bantamweight prospect a stage to shine for 2016.
Bet on UFC on FOX 18 odds at BookMaker.eu
Iuri Alcantara +125
Jimmie Rivera -155
Over/under 2.5 rounds, over -165, under +145
Please note, the odds listed here may have changed, as BookMaker updates their line on a daily basis.
THE STAKES
In 2015, the bantamweight prospect who raised his stock the most was Thomas Almeida, who shot up the rankings to No. 7 in the division. For Rivera to follow the same path, he needs to beat guys like Alcantara, who are in the good-but-not great class. Alcantara is playing the gatekeeper role in this bout, but beating Rivera would allow him to stay in the top-15.
FIGHT BREAKDOWN
In his most recent fight, Jimmie Rivera earned a split decision win over fellow blue-chip prospect Pedro Munhoz. Rivera looked superb on the feet, scoring smooth, stinging combinations. He also showed the ability to recover through adversity, as Munhoz walloped him in the second and had him on shaky legs.
Prior to his fight with Munhoz, Rivera scored a first-round KO over Marcus Brimage. That’s an impressive feat for the 26-year old, as Brimage was a highly touted TUF prospect in his own right. Brimage is one of the most explosive athletes in the division, and it says a lot that Rivera was able to catch and blast him.
Alcantara is a product of Greg Jackson’s camp, one of the finest in the world. His time with Jackson is paying off, as the Brazilian has never looked more well-rounded. He’s got fight-ending power on the feet, and an excellent offensive submission game. However, Alcantara’s slow pace hurts him when it comes to scoring points. At 35, he might be slowing down.
At 4-1 in his past five, Alcantara is far from done, but his time as a top-10 fighter is probably over. Still, he represents a stiff test for Rivera, as Alcantara is good enough to beat low-to-midlevel opponents. In fact, his only losses in the promotion have come against Hacran Dias, Urijah Faber and Frankie Saenz. With the exception of Dias, those are high-level fighters.
THE SMART PLAYS
Although Rivera is expected to win, the money lines are pretty close. It all depends on whether you think that Rivera is ready to make the leap. A veteran like Alcantara could absolutely spoil the young fighter’s coming out party. If his money line was closer to +150, a small bet would make sense.
The safest play here is the over. Rivera has a paltry six finishes in his 18 career victories. Alcantara’s last three fights have gone to the final bell. You do the math. At -165, the over is a solid bet.
HOW TO BET
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 on FOX 18 takes place on January 30, 2016 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The main card will be televised on FOX following the prelims on FOX Sports 1.
