No. 13 welterweight Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos (20-5, 14 KOs, 2 SUBs) meets the surging Curtis Millender (17-3, 6 KOs) at UFC Fight Night 146 on Saturday, March 9, 2019 at the INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas. The card streams live on ESPN+ starting 10pm ET.
Maybe you don’t know Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos or Curtis Millender - not many casuals would. Just know this: one of these two dudes is about to secure a matchup with a top 10 guy. Their matchup this Saturday is a pairing of two very good welterweights that are ready to take a leap at 170 pounds.
Dos Santos comes in with a six fight winning streak, with his last two wins coming by way of spinning wheel kick and flying knee. Flatlining dudes with flashy strikes is a surefire way to get noticed. He might’ve lost his UFC debut in a close split decision, but he hasn’t dropped a fight since.
Millender has won nine straight, a number that includes all three of his octagon fights. He started off with a bang, knocking out Thiago Alves with a knee. From there, he’s pulled off decision wins over Max Griffin and Siyar Bahadurzada - one of the tougher no-name welterweights out there.
So does the Brazilian get another highlight reel KO, or does Millender upend Dos Santos? Let’s take a look at the UFC odds at BookMaker.eu and break down your online UFC betting options. Remember, live UFC betting is also available to hedge your bets between rounds.
UFC Odds at BookMaker.eu
Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos
Curtis Millender
Fight goes/doesn’t go to decision:
Significant Striking Stats
Landed per minute: Dos Santos 4.33 / Millender 4.24
Accuracy: Dos Santos 40% / Millender 45%
Absorbed per minute: Dos Santos 2.95 / Millender 2.93
Defense: Dos Santos 62% / Millender 63%
Grappling Stats
Takedown average: Dos Santos 0.36 / Millender 0.58
Takedown accuracy: Dos Santos 10% / Millender 100%
Takedown defense: Dos Santos 50% / Millender 57%
Submission average: Dos Santos 0.5 / Millender 0.0
Bet on UFC on ESPN+ 4 odds at BookMaker.eu
Millender’s Bellator run didn’t inspire much confidence in his UFC chances, but the guy has been killing it in thes UFC. Though something of a long-range, one-dimensional striker, nobody’s been able to solve him yet. At 6’3”, he’s a big welterweight with 100% takedown defense, and opponents have had major problems navigating the distance against him.
That’s going to be a challenge for the 5’11” Dos Santos. Though he’s a striker as well, he comes with a completely different style compared to his opponent. Quite simply, the 32-year old is a brawler. Normally, fighters as wild as the Brazilian have trouble winning with consistency, but Dos Santos has found a method to his madness. When not facing a wrestler, he throws everything in the book and then some.
The key to this matchup is how Millender responds to Dos Santos’ aggressiveness. Usually, his tactical long-range sniping stops dudes from getting into any sort of rhythm, but the Brazilian is not a guy that needs “flow” to win his fights. Millender does, but given his kickboxing skills he could very well establish his range early and frustrate his opponent for three straight rounds. Given how many strikes these guys land per minute, this could easily be Fight of the Night.
UFC Odds Pick: Millender to win
We’re going to lean on the taller, rangier and calmer striker in this matchup. As much as we love a guy that’s willing to throw the kitchen sink at dudes, those really aren’t the type of guys we want to back in the online sportsbooks. The range is going to be an issue, and Millender is experienced enough in the standup not to panic against a brawler.
Bet on UFC odds online 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 146 takes place on Saturday, March 9, 2019 at the INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas. The card streams live on ESPN+ starting 10pm ET.
