UFC Fight Night 57: Main Card Betting Odds and Predictions
UFC Fight Night 57 on Saturday will be headlined by former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and former WEC contender Cub Swanson. Both men will be looking to earn a rematch with 145-pound titleholder Jose Aldo by winning this weekend.
He's only appeared twice since his first bout with Aldo, but Edgar gave the Brazilian champion one of his more competitive contests. With a win over former 155-pound titleholder BJ Penn in his latest outing, Edgar has reinserted himself into the featherweight title-shot conversation, so a win over a surging Swanson could be enough to earn a second crack at Aldo.
Steamrolled in his original meeting with Aldo, Swanson has had a much longer road back to a rematch with the 145-pound king. With six consecutive victories, it's becoming hard to deny him, though.
In addition to Edgar and Swanson, UFC title contenders in multiple other divisions will also appear at UFC Fight Night 57. Here is a look at betting odds, via OddsShark.com, and predictions for all the main card matchups.
Matt Wiman (-200) vs. Isaac Vallie-Flagg (+160)
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Matt Wiman has been sitting on the sidelines since a January 2013 knockout loss to T.J. Grant. On Saturday, he'll take a big step down in competition and return to the Octagon opposite Isaac Vallie-Flagg.
Vallie-Flagg is experienced, but he's on a two-bout skid and could be battling for his spot on the UFC roster. After narrowly beating Yves Edwards in his UFC debut, Vallie-Flagg has lost to Elias Silverio and Takanori Gomi.
Although Vallie-Flagg is meeting Wiman at the right time, as he might have to shake off some rust, it's a rough stylistic matchup for the Jackson-Wink MMA member.
Vallie-Flagg was taken down four times in his loss to Silverio, and Wiman has some solid offensive wrestling. I expect Wiman to follow the blueprint that Silverio laid out and take home a decision win.
Prediction: Wiman
Play: One percent bankroll on Wiman
Joseph Benavidez (-400) vs. Dustin Ortiz (+300)
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In April, Joseph Benavidez rebounded from a second loss to Demetrious Johnson by submitting Tim Elliott in the opening round. At UFC Fight Night 57, Benavidez will attempt to continue his climb toward another 125-pound title shot against a rising Dustin Ortiz.
With a 3-1 UFC record, including only a controversial loss to former title challenger John Moraga, Ortiz has developed into a contender in the flyweight division. That said, Benavidez will be the toughest test Ortiz has had in his MMA career.
Benavidez should have a significant advantage when standing, and he has better finishing ability on the ground. At 25 years old, Ortiz might have the brighter future ahead now, but Benavidez (30) still has some left in the tank to hand out a learning experience or two to up-and-comers.
That said, Ortiz is talented and appears to be making big strides every time he steps into the Octagon. With a low return on investment at the current odds, Benavidez isn't worth risking money on.
Prediction: Benavidez
Play: Pass
Jared Rosholt (-225) vs. Oleksiy Oliynyk (+175)
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Jared Rosholt has quickly picked up three wins inside the Octagon and will look for a fourth against Oliynyk on Saturday. With a win over Soa Palelei in his most recent outing, Rosholt is closing in on contender status.
Oliynyk had a strong showing in his UFC debut, submitting Anthony Hamilton in June, but he's not as tested as Rosholt is. In that matchup, Oliynyk scored an early takedown, something he'll have trouble doing against Rosholt, one of the better wrestlers in the heavyweight division.
An All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State University, Rosholt should dictate where this fight goes, and that will help him capture another decision victory.
Prediction: Rosholt
Play: One percent bankroll on Rosholt
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Brad Pickett (-225) vs. Chico Camus (+175)
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Brad Pickett is out to a 1-1 start at 125 pounds, but his loss came against Top Five contender Ian McCall. The only flyweight with a win over champion Demetrious Johnson, Pickett is bound to be a serious player in his new weight class.
After losing to Chris Holdsworth, Camus made the move to 125 pounds. With mixed success in a bantamweight division where Pickett was so successful, Camus should probably be a bigger underdog than he
is.
Pickett is much more proven and has experience cutting to 125 pounds now. Even if Camus has a smooth weight cut, this is going to be a tough matchup for him.
Prediction: Pickett
Play: Two percent bankroll on Pickett
Bobby Green (+100) vs. Edson Barboza (-130)
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With eight straight wins, Bobby Green is becoming a serious contender in the lightweight division. He's had some help, though, including a controversial decision win over Josh Thomson and a questionable stoppage against James Krause.
Considered one of the more talented fighters in the 155-pound class, Barboza has hit some speed bumps, but he looked as good as ever in his latest outing against Evan Dunham. The Brazilian will look to build momentum with a win against Green.
Barboza is known for his striking, but his excellent footwork also makes him hard to take down. If Green is forced to stand on Saturday, he could be in for a long night.
Prediction: Barboza
Play: One percent bankroll on Barboza
Frankie Edgar (-240) vs. Cub Swanson (+190)
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Since dropping down to 145 pounds, Edgar has gone 2-1, with his only loss coming against Aldo. Once the best lightweight in the world, Edgar might be able to prove he's the second best featherweight in MMA by beating Swanson impressively.
While he stumbled out of the gates, losing to Ricardo Lamas in his UFC debut, Swanson has been unstoppable since then. The Jackson-Wink MMA standout has won six in a row, including knockouts against ranked featherweights Dennis Siver and Charles Oliveira.
Swanson is a dangerous striker, which should concern Edgar, who has been rocked multiple times early in fights. That said, Edgar's wrestling should carry him to a win so long as he survives the opening minutes. Swanson's defensive wrestling has been one of his weaker areas, and that will resurface on Saturday.
Prediction: Edgar
Play: One percent bankroll on Edgar
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