UFC 209 Best Bets
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com
The Octagon returns to Las Vegas on Saturday for an 11-fight card at T-Mobile Arena. The welterweight championship will be at stake in the main event, as Tyron ‘The Chosen One’ Woodley and Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson will square off after battling to a majority draw at UFC 205 in New York City.
As of late Friday afternoon, most books had Thompson (13-1-1 MMA, 8-1-1 UFC) installed as a -150 favorite with Woodley at +120 on the comeback (risk $100 to win $120). The total was 2.5 rounds (‘over’ -175, ‘under’ +155).
Woodley (16-3-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC) won the 170-pound title by knocking out Robbie Lawler at UFC 201 last August. He retained the belt after the judges ruled his first title defense against Thompson as a draw.
The co-main event was cancelled after Khabib Nurmagomedov fell sick during the weight-cut process Thursday night. He was admitted to the hospital and didn’t attempt to make weight after the fight was cancelled on the doctor’s recommendation. The unbeaten Nurmagomedov was set to face Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight title.
Rashad Evans, the former light heavyweight champ, will finally be making his middleweight debut against Daniel Kelly. Also on the main card, there’s a heavyweight match between Alistair Overeem and Mark Hunt and lightweights Landon Vannata and David Teymur will collide.
Best Bets
Give me one unit on Thompson-Woodley to go UNDER 2.5 rounds (+155).
Give me two units on Vannata-Teymur to go UNDER 1.5 rounds (+160).
Give me one unit on Kelly as a +200 underdog. More than anything, this is a play against Evans, who hasn’t won in 3.5 years and hasn’t looked good in back-to-back defeats.
Give me two units on the Hunt-Overeem UNDER 1.5 rounds (-115). This is a rematch of a 2008 fight won by Overeem by submission in 71 seconds.
Give me one unit on the proposition bet for Vannata to win inside the distance (+115 at 5Dimes.eu). The straight price on Vannata is too expensive (-400), so this prop is the way to go to minimize risk.