Flyweight champion Henry Cejudo (13-2, 5 KOs) will meet bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw (16-3, 8 KOs, 3 SUBs) at UFC Fight Night 143 on Saturday, January 19, 2019 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The main card streams live on ESPN+ starting 10pm ET.
We’ve got a champion vs. champion fight to kick off the UFC’s new partnership with ESPN. Unfortunately, the “superfight” between Henry Cejudo and TJ Dillashaw is on the network’s streaming service - meaning it won’t get the viewers that it would’ve had it been on cable.
Also, while this is a superfight by definition, it sure doesn’t feel like one. Though Cejudo eked out a win against Demetrious Johnson, he has yet to defend the flyweight title and his resume doesn’t even come close to that of Mighty Mouse.
Does he deserve to challenge the more well-established Dillashaw? Probably not, but this is the money fight WME era - if it makes dollars, it makes sense. Despite the fact that there are worthy challengers in both divisions, both guys know that none would be a bigger deal than this.
This works out well for Dillashaw, who could add to his shine by taking out another champion from a smaller weight class. It’s not like Cejudo was dominating 125-pounders either - he was finished shortly by Demetrious Johnson in their first matchup and lost a split decision to Joe Benavidez just one fight later.
Naturally, the UFC odds at BookMaker.eu opened with Cejudo as a huge favorite. Let’s take a look at the online betting odds and break down the best picks. As always, live UFC betting is available to hedge your picks as well.
UFC Fight Night 143 Betting at BookMaker.eu
Henry Cejudo: +168
TJ Dillashaw: -211
Fight goes/doesn’t go to decision: -135 / +105
Significant Striking Stats
Landed per minute: Cejudo 3.42 / Dillashaw 5.38
Accuracy: Cejudo 42% / Dillashaw 41%
Absorbed per minute: Cejudo 2.6 / Dillashaw 2.94
Defense: Cejudo 67% / Dillashaw 66%
Grappling Stats
Takedown average: Cejudo 2.31 / Dillashaw 1.69
Takedown accuracy: Cejudo 35% / Dillashaw 37%
Takedown defense: Cejudo 88% / Dillashaw 86%
Submission average: Cejudo 0.12 / Dillashaw 0.97
Bet on Dillashaw vs. Cejudo at BookMaker.eu
When a fighter moves up in weight, they always face the same questions: How will they handle larger opponents? Will their power and strength translate? Will they be able to absorb the damage from bigger fighters?
Cejudo is famously an Olympic gold medalist - obviously he’s at his best when he’s able to land takedowns and control the mat game. When it comes to wrestling, weight classes matter a ton. Even a five pound gap can make a huge difference when you’re trying to throw another fighter to the mat. Cejudo has had weight cutting issues in the past, suggesting that he’s a bigger flyweight, but there’s a reason that he refused to go up to 135 pounds, even when prompted by Dana White.
Dillashaw never went to the Olympics, but he was very good NCAA D1 wrestler. Though he’s more known for his fancy footwork style, the 32-year old actually entered MMA as a wrestling-oriented fighter. It was only after training with Duane Ludwig that the Dominick-Cruz style emerged. But make no mistake: this guy still knows how to wrestle, as evidenced by his grappling stats.
UFC Odds Pick: Dillashaw to win at -211
Frankly, we’re surprised that Dillashaw is not an even bigger favorite here. We highly doubt that the smaller Cejudo can penetrate TJ’s 86% takedown defense, and in a kickboxing matchup the Olympian will be thoroughly outclassed.
Bet Online: Fight doesn’t go to decision at +105
There’s just too much going against Cejudo here. TJ isn’t a knockout artist, but he can do serious damage. We just don’t trust Cejudo’s striking here, as he’s not experienced enough to take all of TJ’s tricks. At some point, he’s going to get rocked and finished.
Bet on UFC Fight Night 143 odds at BookMaker.eu
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook! Real-time spreads, totals, props and money line are all available so start betting with BookMaker today. UFC Fight Night 143 takes place on Saturday, January 19, 2019 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The main card streams live on ESPN+ starting 10pm ET.
