UFC Fight Night 127 odds: Latest Vegas lines and betting guide for ‘Werdum vs Volkov’

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight champ Fabricio Werdum will look to take out his second consecutive European standout this Saturday (March 17, 2018) when he takes on the towering Alexander Volkov inside. The venerable O2 Arena in London, England, will also see local favorite Jimi Manuwa face Jan Blachowicz, top prospect Tom Duquesnoy attempt to bounce back against Terrion Ware, and surging Welterweight prospect Leon Edwards throw down with Germany’s Peter Sobotta.

All the face punching action will take stream online via UFC Fight Pass, meaning all we need to do is make $9.99 to cover expenses. Let’s aim a bit higher than that, though.

What Went Wrong at UFC 222?

Oof, yeah, that didn’t go so well. I’m just going to stop betting against Brian Ortega if it’s all the same to you. As far as the others, one judge and the majority of mixed martial arts (MMA) media had Bryan Caraway beating Cody Stamann, so I won’t apologize for that pick. Picking Mike Pyle wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had, though, but I will at least try to cover my ass by saying Pyle wins that fight if he stays conscious. Which is, you know, functionally meaningless, but forgive me for protecting my ego.

UFC Fight Night 127 Odds For The Undercard:

Charles Byrd (-115) vs. John Phillips (-105)
Danny Robert (-185) vs. Oliver Enkamp (+160)
Jack Marshman (-290) vs. Brad Scott (+245)
Hakeem Dawodu (-360) vs. Danny Henry (+300)
Magomed Ankalaev (-620) vs. Paul Craig (+460)
Stevie Ray (-170) vs. Kajan Johnson (+150)
Dmitriy Sosnovskiy (-275) vs. Mark Godbeer (+235)
Nasrat Haqparast (-145) vs. Nad Narimani (+125)

Thoughts: Not exactly the most consistently competitive matchmaking I’ve ever seen on an undercard. Still, I like the values on Charles Byrd and Nad Narimani.

John Phillips is coming off a two-year layoff and, frankly, doesn’t appear to have evolved at all despite more than a full decade in the sport. His power is monumental, but there’s zero craft to his boxing and his takedown defense is straight-up woeful. He’s lost every single time he’s stepped up in competition and I fully expect Byrd to tap him quickly.

Nasrat Haqparast is a terrific physical specimen with bone-crushing power. With the right camp behind him, he could be a genuine threat. As is, his wrestling still leaves a lot to be desired and he can get a bit wild when throwing something other than his preferred straight left. Narimani’s coming in on short notice and stepping up in weight, but he’s a tank of a Featherweight and well-rounded enough to hold his own. It’s a close fight, and I wouldn’t bet on Narimani if the odds were closer, but he’s an underdog worth taking a chance on.

UFC Fight Night 127 Odds For The Main Card:

Fabricio Werdum (-200) vs. Alexander Volkov (+170)
Jimi Manuwa (-200) vs. Jan Blachowicz (+170)
Tom Duquesnoy (-300) vs. Terrion Ware (+250)
Leon Edwards (-210) vs. Peter Sobotta (+175)

Thoughts: This is more a whim than anything else, but I feel like putting a bit on Volkov wouldn’t go awry. For all of Fabricio Werdum’s improvements, his takedowns remain sorely lacking, meaning this will most likely be a 25-minute stand up battle. And Volkov’s only losses since 2010 came against people who were focused on taking him down or grinding from the clinch. If nothing else, Volkov’s a nicely varied striker with enough tools to counter Werdum’s straightforward one-two combinations. Not a pick to bet the farm on, but something worth looking at.

UFC Fight Night 127 Best Bets:

• Single bet -- Charles Byrd: Bet $80.50 to make $70
• Single bet -- Nad Narimani: $40 to make $50
• Single bet -- Alexander Volkov: $30 to make $51

UFC Fight Night 127 has got lots of new talent and is early enough in the day to not interfere with your Saturday evening plans. Works for me. See you there, Maniacs!

Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver live UFC Fight Night 127 results on fight night, which is as good a place as any to talk about all the action inside the Octagon, as well as what you’ve got riding on the sportsbook.

Initial Investment For 2018: $300
Current Total: $576.91