Middleweight artist Thiago “Marreta” Santos (18-6, 12 KOs, 1 SUB) meets late notice replacement Eryk Anders (11-1, 7 KOs, 1 SUB) at UFC Fight Night 137 on Saturday, September 22, 2018 at the Geraldo Jose de Almeida Gymnasium in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The card airs live on FS1 starting 10:30 pm ET.
This Saturday’s main event was originally scheduled to be Glover Teixeira vs. Jimi Manuwa. What we’re getting instead is Eryk Anders against Thiago Santos. You can thank injuries for one of the most swapped out headliners in recent memory. This strange turn of events have brought both men out of their usual middleweight division and into the 205-pound class.
If anything, it should be entertaining. Thiago Santos, owns TKOs in four of his last five victories. Currently ranked No. 12 at middleweight, he’s a banger with some of the best kicks in the division. He’s somebody to watch, and it’ll be interesting to see how he responds to a lesser weight cut.
Anders jumps back into the cage less than a month after taking out Tim Williams with a vicious soccer kick to the face. The 11-1 prospect’s only loss to date came against former champion Lyoto Machida - a razor-thin split decision that could’ve gone either way. The loss sapped some of his hype, but a win over Santos would make a big statement.
Santos is quietly a 15-fight UFC veteran, compiling a respectable 10-5 record inside the octagon. His consistency if finally being recognized with the headlining bout, and his resume sports some solid wins over guys like Anthony Smith, Elias Theodorou and Jack Hermansson. Most recently, he defeated Kevin Holland at UFC 227 just last month.
In a matchup of heavy hitters, what are the bets you should be making? Let’s break down the UFC odds at BookMaker.eu and make some picks.
UFC Fight Night 137 Betting at BookMaker.eu
Eryk Anders +115
Thiago Santos -145
Fight goes/doesn’t go to decision: +325 / -475
Striking Stats
Significant strikes landed per minute: Anders 3.06 / Santos 4.59
Accuracy: Anders 51% / Santos 47.65%
Significant strikes absorbed per minute: Anders 2.59 / Santos 2.03
Defense: Anders 51% / Santos 63.62%
Grappling Stats
Takedown average: Anders 1.56 / Santos 0.85
Takedown accuracy: Anders 33% / Santos 33.33%
Takedowns defended: Anders 63% / Santos 72.73%
Submission average: Anders 0 / Santos 0.17
Bet on Anders vs. Santos Odds at BookMaker.eu Now
Santos was a guy many expected to flame out in the UFC, but credit to the Brazilian for evolving enough to stick around. In fact, he’s low-key become one of the more exciting fighters in the division because of a killer kicking game that consistently delivers violent results. Though he might not have much of a wrestling game to speak of, and that might be an issue against Anders.
A former standout linebacker at the college football powerhouse Alabama, Anders is still relatively new to pro MMA. Starting in tiny regional promotions before graduating to Bellator and Legacy, “Ya Boy” has capitalized on his ridiculous athleticism to physically overwhelm his opponents. It’s worked for the most part - the majority of his finishes have come in the first round.
As you’d expect for somebody who specialized in running down and tackling dudes, Anders is an excellent bullrusher. It helps cover up his still-developing striking game, and so does the raw knockout power he possesses. All the tools to be an elite fighter are there, but Anders still has a lot of learning to do. Santos could definitely be a guy that teaches him a few lessons.
UFC Odds Pick: Fight doesn’t go to decision -475
We lean towards Santos as Anders is fighting on extremely short notice, but the safer pick is that this main event doesn’t go the full 25 minutes. Both guys are crazy explosive, and there’s a chance that cardio issues plague either guy - Santos has gassed before and Anders didn’t even know he was fighting until a few days ago. This is pricey pick, so use it as a parlay anchor.
UFC Fight Night 137 Odds
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 137 takes place on Saturday, September 22, 2018 at the Geraldo Jose de Almeida Gymnasium in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
