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Francisco “Sitkayan” Trevino (12-1) vs. Sage Northcutt (5-0)
Lightweight

Opening Odds: Trevino +170 / Northcutt -230
Current Odds: Trevino +375 / Northcutt -470

Trevino went 12-0 before losing a Unanimous Decision to Johnny Case in his last fight. Northcutt is the bigger fighter, as he normally fights at Welterweight. He lost his first fight as an amateur, but has won 10 fights in a row since then. Of said victories, eight were 1st round stoppages, The other two were a 2nd round stoppage and a Unanimous Decision. When someone has a resume like this, I expect them to come out fast and aggressive. I would love to have Northcutt at -230, but I think I’m too late on this one. I’m not confident enough to bet it at -470.

Viktor Pesta (10-1) vs. Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis (12-4)
Heavyweight

Opening Odds: Pesta -125 / Lewis -115
Current Odds: Pesta -160 / Lewis +140

Pesta’s only loss was a Unanimous Decision loss to Ruslan Magomedov. Lewis is coming off a 2nd round TKO loss to Shawn Jordan. He is extremely heavy-handed, but has suspect cardio. He reminds me of Brett Rogers minus the mohawk. I think Pesta wins this fight unless he gets caught with a big overhand right. I took Pesta -160.

Chris “Kamikaze” Cariaso (17-7) vs. Sergio “The Phenom” Pettis (12-2)
Flyweight

Opening Odds: Cariaso +145 / Pettis -185
Current Odds: Cariaso +150 / Pettis -170

Cariaso doesn’t have many finishes, but he’s a solid veteran with a good resume. Most of his losses have been at the hands of elite competition. He is 12 years older than Pettis and he’s giving up 3″ in height. Pettis trains at Roufusport, one of the best striking camps in the country. Neither of these guys are good at finishing fights. I think Pettis wins by Unanimous Decision. I took him at -170.

Adriano Martins (27-7) vs. Islam Makhachev (12-0)
Lightweight

Opening Odds: Martins -120 / Makhachev -120
Current Odds: Martins -105 / Makhachev -115

Martins is a solid veteran coming off a Split Decision victory over a very game Rustam Khabilov. His only stoppage losses were to Donald Cerrone and Ronys Torres. Makhachev is a hungry, up-and-coming, undefeated Russian fighter who is well-rounded. This will be his toughest fight to date. He is eight years younger than Martins. I predict Makhachev will get the nod via decision. I took him at -115.

Angela “Overkill” Hill (2-1) vs. Rose “Thug” Namajunas (2-2)
Women’s Strawweight

Opening Odds: Hill +250 / Namajunas -350
Current Odds: Hill +220 / Namajunas -260

Both of these fighters are pretty inexperienced. I don’t know too much about Hill, but I know Namajunas has great striking and grappling as well as killer instinct. The one knock on her is cardio. I think the line is right about where it should be.

Alan “Brahma” Jouban (12-3) vs. Albert “Einstein” Tumenov (15-2)
Welterweight

Opening Odds: Jouban +170 / Tumenov -230
Current Odds: Jouban +220 / Tumenov -260

I think this will be the fight of the night. Both of these fighters are talented strikers with high energy. Nine of Tumenov’s ten stoppage wins have come within the 1st round. He is nine years younger than Jouban. Jouban trains at Black House and 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu. I’ve had my eye on him for a while now. I’m tempted to take him as an underdog, but it’s hard to put money against a bad ass Russian. I think I’ll stay away for now, but I’ll definitely have plenty of both fighters in my DraftKings lineups.

Daniel “The Hangman” Hooker (12-5) vs. Yair “Pantera” Rodriguez (5-1)
Featherweight

Opening Odds: Hooker +170 / Rodriguez -230
Current Odds: Hooker +250 / Rodriguez -300

Hooker is coming off a huge 2nd round head kick knockout upset of Hatsu Hioki. He’s great at finishing fights and has never been knocked out in his 17 professional fights. Rodriguez has a mediocre resume, but he’s on a three-fight win streak. I think this fight should be close to a pick’em, which is why I took Hooker at +250.

Ali “Puncher” Bagautinov (13-3) vs. Joseph Benavidez (22-4)
Flyweight

Opening Odds: Bagautinov +220 / Benavidez -300
Current Odds: Bagautinov +280 / Benavidez -340

Bagautinov was on an 11-fight win streak before running into the Champion, Demetrious Johnson, in his last fight. Even so, he was able to take “Mighty Mouse” the distance, losing by Unanimous Decision. He’s one of many well-rounded, talented Russian fighters training at Fight Night’s Team.

Benavidez trains with a number of talented guys himself over at Team Alpha Male: Uriah Faber, T.J. Dillashaw, Chad Mendes, Danny Castillo, and Chris Holdsworth, just to name a few. Benavidez has four losses on his record. Two were at the hands of long-reigning Champion, Demetrious Johnson. The other two were to former Champion, Dominick Cruz. Of those four losses, two were by Split Decision.

On top of that, he has numerous sparks on his resume, including wins over John Moraga, Dustin Ortiz, Jussier da Silva, Ian McCall, and Tim Elliott. I’m pretty confident Benavidez will win this fight by decision, but I have no interest in -340. I’m staying away.

Ruslan “Leopard” Magomedov (13-1) vs. “The Savage” Shawn Jordan (18-6)
Heavyweight

Opening Odds: Magomedov -140 / Jordan +100
Current Odds: Magomedov -160 / Jordan +140

Magomedov’s only loss was a 2nd round body shot from Konstantin Gluhov, a guy who looks like he should be on World’s Strongest Man. Since then, Magomedov has strung together eight wins in a row over solid competition. Jordan is a former LSU fullback. He was a member of two National Championship teams. He trains at American Top Team and Jackson-Wink MMA. He is heavy-handed and coming off a three-fight win streak. I took Jordan +140.

Jessica “Evil” Eye (11-3) vs. Julianna “The Venezuelan Vixen” Pena (6-2)
Women’s Bantamweight

Opening Odds: Eye +140 / Pena -180
Current Odds: Eye +205 / Pena -245

Eye is a scrappy veteran coming off a Unanimous Decision loss to Miesha Tate. The knock against her is finishing ability. Pena was the first woman to win The Ultimate Fighter. All of her wins have come inside of two rounds. She is well-rounded, talented, and violent. She didn’t show any rust in her last fight, a 1st round TKO of Milana Dudieva, after a year-and-a-half away from the cage due to injury. I think Pena wins this fight easily. I took her at -245.

Johny “Bigg Rigg” Hendricks (17-3) vs. “The Chosen One” Tyron Woodley (15-3)
Welterweight

Opening Odds: Hendricks -260 / Woodley +180
Current Odds: Hendricks -355 / Woodley +295

Hendricks is the former Champion of the Welterweight Division. He is a decorated wrestler with continually improving striking. He has three losses on his resume: a Split Decision loss to current Champion, Robbie Lawler; another Split Decision loss to then Champion Georges St. Pierre; and a Unanimous Decision loss to Rick Story. Woodley is a cautious fighter with great wrestling as well. I think Hendricks wins this fight, but I’m not going to lay -355.

“Suga” Rashad Evans (19-3-1) vs. Ryan “Darth” Bader (19-4)
Light Heavyweight

Opening Odds: Evans -245 / Bader +175
Current Odds: Evans -160 / Bader +140

Evans’ last fight was a 1st round TKO of Chael Sonnen. He is a great boxer with a solid wrestling base. He’s very quick and doesn’t get hit often. Bader is on a four-fight win streak, including wins over Phil Davis, Ovince St. Preux, and Rafael Cavalcante. He also has a great wrestling base. Interestingly, Bader has never lost by decision. That said, I think Evans wins this fight by decision. I took him at -160.

Alexander “The Mauler” Gustafsson (16-3) vs. Daniel Cormier (16-1)
Light Heavyweight

Opening Odds: Gustafsson +220 / Cormier -280
Current Odds: Gustafsson +265 / Cormier -325

Gustafsson is coming of a vicious 1st round TKO loss to Anthony Johnson. He has had nine months to recover and although Cormier isn’t as heavy-handed as “Rumble”, I think it’s a bad matchup for Gustafsson.

Cormier is an Olympic medalist in wrestling with an incredible MMA resume. His only loss was a Unanimous Decision loss to Jon Jones, arguably the best fighter in MMA history. Cormier trains at American Kickboxing Academy. He’ll be giving up 5″ in height and he’s eight years older than Gustafsson. However, I don’t think much of this fight will be standing. I expect Cormier to take Gustafsson down at will and ground-and-pound out the victory either by TKO or Unanimous Decision.