Welterweight contenders Rafael dos Anjos (28-9, 5 KOs, 9 SUBs) and Colby Covington (13-1, 2 KOs, 5 SUBs) will fight for the interim title at UFC 225 on Saturday, June 9, 2018 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The card airs at 10 p.m. ET following the FS1 prelims. Bet on the latest UFC odds at BookMaker.eu and get previews, predictions and betting picks now.
Rafael dos Anjos has never been a very popular fighter, but he could become a hero this Saturday at UFC 225 in Chicago. That’s because he’s got the opportunity to do something that would make the entire MMA world giddy: shut Colby Covington the hell up. The interim welterweight title will also be on the line, but that almost seems like an afterthought at this point.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, Covington has been making one inflammatory comment after another in every outlet possible. It’s gotten a lot of hate from fans and fighters alike, but you can’t deny that it’s worked in making you care. In just a year’s time, Covington has gone from a promising fighter to the most despised guy in the UFC. Making sexist remarks, xenophobic statements and tasteless tweets will do that.
Covington has gone the full Chael Sonnen route, dissing Brazil in every way possible to make this a grudge match. It’s gotten so bad that supposedly the fight was removed from a Brazilian card to ensure Colby’s safety. Now it’s up to dos Anjos to get payback for his native country.
So can he do it? Fingers crossed! But as sports bettors, we can’t let our emotions get in the way of picking the best values. Let’s take a look at the UFC odds at BookMaker.eu and go over your best options.
UFC Odds at BookMaker.eu
Colby Covington -105
Rafael dos Anjos -125
Fight goes/doesn’t go to decision: -175 / +135
Striking Stats
Significant strikes landed per minute: dos Anjos 3.67 / Covington 3.09
Accuracy: dos Anjos 44.31% / Covington 53.95%
Significant strikes absorbed per minute: dos Anjos 3.11 / Covington 1.71
Defense: dos Anjos 64.08% / Covington 62.39%
Grappling Stats
Takedown average: dos Anjos 2.14 / Covington 5.98
Takedown accuracy: dos Anjos 40% / Covington 53.95%
Takedowns defended: dos Anjos 66.1% / Covington 88.24%
Submission average: dos Anjos 0.71 / Covington 0.29
Matchup Preview
Reminder: this is a five-round fight title fight. So cardio, pace and control are even more crucial. Neither RDA or Covington has any issues with their stamina, and both guys are aggressive in their own ways. The question here is who can better impose their game.
The Brazilian has a huge striking edge here: if Demian Maia had success boxing against Covington, an elite Thai kickboxer like RDA should be able to shred him on the feet. The Rafael Cordeiro-trained fighter loves to crowd the pocket and lead, launching textbook kick-punch combinations at all three levels.
How much room will he have to operate though? Colby’s MO is wrestling, and he’ll likely stay glued to dos Anjos’ legs. The Brazilian has never responded well to perpetual pressure, but the only guys that were able to overwhelm him with aggression were Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson. That’s where having five rounds helps Colby - it’s a lot more time to get his grind on.
Even if Colby does get it to the mat, he’ll have to deal with the skills of a legitimate BJJ black belt. Even against Khabib, Dos Anjos was able to mitigate some of the Russian’s feared GNP by threatening with submissions. Covington will have to be careful, though we can say he is the second best wrestler that RDA has faced recently.
UFC Odds Pick: Dos Anjos to win at -130
Covington has looked awesome lately, and his dominant win over Maia has earned him respect with oddsmakers. That plays out in your favor, as the much more well-rounded RDA is playable as a straight bet. The Brazilian is an underrated wrestler, which will allow him to fend off takedowns, escape when needed and punish the hated Covington on the feet.
UFC Odds Pick: Fight goes to decision at -175
Despite Dos Anjos’ kickboxing mastery, he is not somebody that consistently finishes people with strikes. Covington has never been knocked out, nor does he have the knockout power to put away Dos Anjos, who has withstood extremely heavy fire from far better strikers.
Bet on UFC 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 UFC 225 takes place on Saturday, June 9, 2018 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The card airs at 10 p.m. ET following the FS1 prelims.
