Brash featherweight Jason Knight (20-4, 3 KOs, 13 SUBs) will meet Finland’s Makwan Amirkhani (13-3, 1 KO, 9 SUBs) at UFC Fight Night 130 on Sunday, May 27 at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England The fight card airs live on FS1. Bet on the latest UFC odds at BookMaker.eu and get the latest previews, prediction and picks now.
For a brief moment, Jason Knight looked like the third coming of a Diaz brother. A mean-mugging, volume-punching, high-level jiu-jitsu fighter with a permanent scowl and an endless string of trash talk. He even earned the unofficial nickname of “Hick Diaz”, for his rural Mississippi roots. A rad moniker, an exciting fight style and a four-fight winning streak put Knight in the spotlight.
And then he got thrown into the cage with Ricardo Lamas, a perennial featherweight contender who tore Knight apart in just one round. A followup loss to Gabriel Benitez got him booted out of the rankings. This Sunday, Knight will look to get back on track against Finland’s Makwan Amirkhani. After winning his first three UFC fights, Amirkhani dropped a close split decision to prospect Arnold Allen in March 2017.
This should be a bounceback fight for Knight, but Amirkhani definitely has a shot to spoil the party. So how should you bet this scrap? Let’s take a look at the UFC odds at BookMaker.eu and break down your best betting options.
UFC Odds at BookMaker.eu
Jason Knight -150
Makwan Amirkhani +130
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Striking Stats
Significant strikes landed p/m: Knight 3.51 / Amirkhani 1.73
Accuracy: Knight 34.06% / Amirkhani 53.4%
Significant strikes absorbed p/m: Knight 3.56 / Amirkhani 1.45
Defense: Knight 51.22% / Amirkhani 53.06%
Grappling Stats
Takedown average: Knight 1.77 / Amirkhani 4.24
Takedown accuracy: Knight 32.26% / Amirkhani 45%
Takedowns defended: Knight 52% / Amirkhani 50%
Submission average: Knight 2.13 / Amirkhani 2.36
Fight Preview
Knight has taken two serious beatings in a row. In retrospect, he shouldn’t have been matched up with Lamas, who violently humbled him. But in a winnable matchup against Benitez, the 25-year old puzzlingly came out like a madman, throwing wild punches from bell to bell. It didn’t take long for Benitez to figure him out, and he played Knight like matador, piecing up the Mississippi native with inside-out striking and turning his face into hamburger meat.
If he comes out the same way against Amirkhani, Knight could be in for a long night. The SBG Ireland product has all the tools to use the American’s aggression against him, most notably an advanced wrestling game and dynamic offensive striking. HIs athleticism makes him dangerous in every area, as he can explode for takedowns just as easily as he can launch a flying knee.
Where this gets interesting is on the mat. Knight is a creative submission artist, so he’ll be able to challenge even from the bottom - 13 of his 20 victories have come by submission. Amirkhani is no slouch on the ground either, though his grappling is less creative than his opponent’s. Expect to see a number of high-level exchanges.
UFC Odds Pick: Amirkhani to win at +130
There’s something about Knight that’s hard to trust. He gets hit way too often, and he hasn’t developed great takedown defense so far. Amirkhani’s speed and explosiveness will cause some problems, and he has his wrestling in his back pocket as well. Though Knight is dangerous off his back, a skilled wrestler can usually avoid submission attempts.
UFC Odds Pick: Fight doesn’t go to decision
Both guys are huge risk-takers, and Knight’s ultra-aggressive nature dials up the chances for a finish. Amirkhani is gonna throw a ton of crazy stuff, and Knight’s tendency to brawl makes this a solid bet. The price here is worth a small play.
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 Night 130 takes place on Sunday, May 27 at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England The fight card airs live on FS1.
