Brash Stockton star Nate Diaz (19-11, 5 KOs, 11 SUBs) will meet longtime rival Anthony Pettis (11 KOs, 7 SUBs) at UFC 241 on Saturday, August 17, 2019 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The main card airs live on pay-per-view starting 10pm ET.
Welcome back, Nate Diaz. Whether you love or hate the Stockton native, there’s no denying that his presence makes a card just seem bigger. The man is a superstar - something he achieved when he busted up Conor McGregor in early 2016. He would go on to lose the rematch later that year in a majority decision, but that took nothing away from his newly earned starpower. There’s just something magnetic about the brash, mean-mugging fighter from the mean streets of Stockton.
This Saturday, Diaz meets former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis at welterweight. The pair has been circling each other for years, with neither man holding back their opinion of the other. For Pettis, the bad blood has been brewing for a while:
“We’ve just always had this drama,” Pettis said. “Every time we saw each other, something was going to happen. He might have been jealous I was the champ. He wanted his shot at me. He got his McGregor fight and then went MIA. That chapter has never closed in my life, so to me, this is something had to happen...I can’t wait to hurt this guy. This is a personal fight for me. This is one guy I just don’t like. Me and Diaz got problems. Now we can solve them.”
Of course, Diaz is somebody who is no stranger to beef - which is a big part of why he’s a cult anti-hero in the MMA community. Plus, he’s a damn fun fighter to watch. Pairing him up with “Showtime” - who is coming off a vintage “Showtime” knockout over Stephen Thompson, is a surefire recipe for fireworks.
Even as the co-main to a heavyweight title fight, Diaz vs. Pettis is what most people are here to see. It’s not easy to take up more space than the big men. Let’s take a look at the UFC odds at the online sportsbook and get to your best betting picks. Live UFC Betting at BookMaker.eu is available to hedge your bets between rounds on fight night.
UFC Odds at BookMaker.eu
Anthony Pettis -120
Nate Diaz -110
Fight goes/doesn’t go to decision: -180 / +140
Significant Striking Stats
Landed per minute: Pettis 2.87 / Diaz 4.64
Accuracy: Pettis 45% / Diaz 44%
Absorbed per minute: Pettis 3.22 / Diaz 3.69
Defense: Pettis 54% / Diaz 54%
Grappling Stats
Takedown average: Pettis 0.73 / Diaz 1.17
Takedown accuracy: Pettis 54% / Diaz 30%
Takedown defense: Pettis 58% / Diaz 45%
Submission average: Pettis 1.22 / Diaz 1.43
UFC Odds Pick: Pettis to win at -120
Will Nate Diaz ever learn to check a leg kick? Because until he does, it’s almost impossible to bet on him. Leg kicks have never been a huge part of Pettis’ arsenal, but we’re sure the man who authored the ninja-like Showtime kick won’t have much trouble targeting the Pettis’ knee. Conor McGregor made it a focus in his second go at Diaz, and it made all the difference.
Plus, Diaz hasn’t fought since 2016. If you follow him on Instagram, then you know the guy has been doing a lot of partying in Vegas. Though he’s not old at 34, that’s not an age where you can still live your best fist-pumping life and perform at the highest level inside the octagon. He’s been living good off Red Panty Night, while Pettis has been in the trenches, morphing into a grittier version of himself - this latest iteration isn’t afraid to throw down.
Pettis opened as a minus underdog, but we like the odds here. Of course, the risk is that Diaz gets inside his head and triggers a punch-for-punch brawl. It’s something that Pettis has been all too willing to do lately, but as long as he keeps up that leg kick he should stay in control of this fight.
Bet on UFC odds at the online sportsbook now!
