No. 1 welterweight contender Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson meets rising prospect Darren Till (16-0, 10 KOs, 2 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.
Liverpool’s own Darren Till will fight in his hometown this Sunday - in the biggest matchup of his career. After thrashing Donald Cerrone and seizing the welterweight spotlight, the 25-year old Englander meets No. 1 contender Stephen Thompson in a matchup that could likely feature some of the most exciting kickboxing we’ve seen this year.
Wonderboy has been stuck in no man’s land since failing to secure the title in two consecutive bids against Tyron Woodley. The second attempt was considered one of the worst title fights in UFC history - both the champ and the challenger spent the majority of the bout circling each other with little action. He recently bounced back with a win over Jorge Masvidal, but despite his ranking it’s doubtful he’ll ever get a shot at T-Wood again.
It’s a different story for Till: he’s young, charismatic and possesses a sweet Muay Thai style. It never gets old listening to his unique Liverpool-mixed-with-Brazilian accent. If he takes out Thompson, he’s an easy sell. Even if he loses, a good showing still sets him up for high profile fights in the near future.
The UFC odds at BookMaker.eu opened with Thompson as nearly a 2-1 favorite, but his line has come up in the past few weeks. Let’s get into the fight breakdown and go over your best betting options.
UFC Odds at BookMaker.eu
Darren Till -115
Stephen Thompson -115
Fight goes/doesn’t go to decision: +120 / -150
Striking Stats
Significant strikes landed p/m: Thompson 3.81 / Till 3.18
Accuracy: Thompson 44.01% / Till 52.35%
Significant strikes absorbed p/m: Thompson 2.66 / Till 3.25
Defense: Thompson 59.79% / Till 62.78%
Grappling Stats
Takedown average: Thompson 0.48 / Till 0.8
Takedown accuracy: Thompson 50% / Till 33.33%
Takedowns defended: Thompson 79.13% / Till 82.35%
Submission average: Thompson 0 / Till 0
Matchup Preview
Ever wished UFC fights looked more like they belonged in some Van Damme movie? If yes, then this scrap’s all you. Thompson is a former American Kickboxing champion. Till has the rank of Master in Muay Thai. We’ve seen both guys obliterate opponents under a hellstorm of flashy kicks and strikes. Each guy believes they’re the better striker, and neither is a big fan of takedowns and grappling.
Till is a southpaw, and a nasty one at that. He’s got laser-guided accuracy in his punches, and drills dudes with sledgehammer kicks. While he’s drawn some flak for being content to counter and cruise against clearly lesser opponents, he dialed up the aggression to level 100 against Cerrone with spectacular results. His dynamic striking, power and reactive countering is going to give 170-pounders problems for years to come.
But is he ready for Thompson? And even if he’s ready, can he handle Wonderboy? Thompson’s got that wide, bouncy sidestance, immaculate accuracy and precision in his strikes, and his point-fighting style makes him extremely difficult to hit hard and clean. He’s also faced more high level UFC strikers, from Rory MacDonald, Robert Whittaker and Jorge Masvidal and came away with dominant wins.
UFC Odds Pick: Thompson to win at -115
A flood of action on Till has taken him from a +150 underdog to a pick’em against Thompson. That’s good news for you: Thompson is a two-time title challenger with far more experience against a better cailber of competition. Till won’t be able to overwhelm him like he’s done against other guys.
UFC Odds Pick: Fight goes to decision at +120
Both guys are capable of finishes, but the ‘dog odds on the fight going to decision is too good to pass up. These are high-level strikers both offensively and defensively, and they should be able to get to the final bell.
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.
