Ain’t no wall can stop this man.
Mexican Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) sensation Yair Rodriguez makes his first headlining appearance this Saturday (Aug. 6, 2016) when he lock horns with Alex Caceres in the main event of UFC Fight Night 92, which will air live and free on FOX Sports 1 from Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The card will also feature a showdown between Featherweight dynamos Dennis Bermudez and Rony "Jason," as well as a Middleweight bout between the struggling Thales Leites and the resurgent Chris Camozzi.
That's not all.
In fact, this is as good a week as any to break a slump, so let’s see what we’ve got to work with:
UFC Fight Night 92 Odds For The Undercard:
Court McGee (-225) vs. Dominique Steele (+175)
Marcin Tybura (-135) vs. Viktor Pesta (+105)
David Teymur (-115) vs. Jason Novelli (-115)
Teruto Ishihara (-225) vs. Horacio Gutierrez (+175)
Cub Swanson (-400) vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri (+310)
Justin Ledet (-150) vs. Chase Sherman (+120)
Thoughts: Solid matchmaking means few opportunities for the enterprising among us. The only real standout bet I see is Marcin Tybura, whose superior resume and overall skill set seem well-suited to taking out the grinding Pesta.
Pesta isn’t anywhere near as athletic as Timothy Johnson and doesn’t have the latter’s wrestling pedigree, which casts doubt on his ability to shut down Tybura’s offense the way Johnson did. Further, Pesta gassed badly against Derrick Lewis despite "Black Beast" offering limited resistance from his back. The Pole ought to get back into the win column here, so be sure you’re in position to benefit.
UFC Fight Night 92 Odds For The Main Card:
Yair Rodriguez (-270) vs. Alex Caceres (+230)
Dennis Bermudez (-225) vs. Rony Bezzera (+185)
Thales Leites (-165) vs. Chris Camozzi (+145)
Santiago Ponzinibbio (-160) vs. Zak Cummings (+140)
Joseph Gigliotti (-140) vs. Trevor Smith (+120)
Maryna Moroz (-245) vs. Danielle Taylor (+205)
Thoughts: Santiago Ponzinibbio at -160 is an absolute steal. Cummings is huge for the Welterweight division, very durable and a capable grappler, but Ponzinibbio’s dealt with the skill set before in impressive fashion. "Gente Boa’s" takedown defense has improved by leaps and bounds since getting tossed about by Ryan LaFlare and he has a considerable speed advantage over Cummings. Most decisively, the guy just doesn’t get tired and Cummings’ relentless forward advance leaves him open to power shots. Viva Argentina.
Rodriguez could be worth an investment as well. I simply do not see an area in which Caceres has the edge -- Rodriguez is bigger, a better wrestler, has more stopping power in his strikes, and can more than hold his own on the mat. Even Caceres’ offbeat offense pales in comparison to the ridiculous arsenal that Rodriguez brings to the table.
Viva Mexico, too!
Finally, Thales Leites seems greatly undervalued, although I do have reservations. A huge part of Leites’ resurgence was newfound confidence in his hands. He’s not the prettiest striker, but his great chin and sheer pressure produced excellent results. That confidence completely broke against Gegard Mousasi, reducing him to the butt-flopping wreck that stank out the joint against Anderson Silva. He’s the better overall fighter than Camozzi by a fair margin, so I’m still willing to recommend an investment, but don’t go too crazy.
UFC Fight Night 92 Best Bets:
- Parlay -- Marcin Tybura and Thales Leites: Bet $50 to make $90
- Parlay -- Santiago Ponzinibbio and Yair Rodriguez: Bet $60 to make $73.80
Grab the popcorn and prepare for five rounds of hearing Jon Anik say "dynamic" over and over again. See you Saturday, Maniacs!