UFC Fight Night 66: Main Card Betting Odds and Predictions
At UFC Fight Night 66, former UFC champion Frankie Edgar will meet former WEC champion Urijah Faber in a matchup that could determine the next title challenger in the 145-pound division.
Edgar has won three in a row since losing to champion Jose Aldo in his featherweight debut. With a win over a big name like Faber, Edgar could be lined up for a rematch with Aldo or a clash with upcoming challenger Conor McGregor.
Meanwhile, Faber has spent the last several years in the bantamweight division following his own loss to Aldo. A bout with The Answer was enough to draw Faber back to the featherweight division, though, and could put him back in the title picture at 145 pounds.
With another UFC event approaching, here are predictions and the latest betting odds, via Odds Shark, for the UFC Fight Night 66 main card.
Mark Eddiva (+325) vs. Levan Makashvili (-400)
1 of 6Now 1-1 inside the Octagon, Mark Eddiva will have a chance to get back on track at home in the Philippines against Levan Makashvili. Originally, Eddiva was booked to meet Alex White, but that matchup was scrapped due to a White injury.
In replacing White, Makashvili will make his UFC debut this weekend. The Hornet earned his way into the UFC by posting a solid 6-1 record, most recently defeating Bellator MMA veteran Alexandre Bezerra in a rematch.
Although Eddiva has two UFC appearances under his belt, he's not more experienced than Makashvili. The Philippine native also owns a 6-1 record and competed against relatively unknown opposition before joining the UFC roster.
Makashvili is a big favorite for a reason and should pick up his first UFC win right away against Eddiva. However, since as he's heading into enemy territory and stepping into the Octagon for the first time at UFC Fight Night 66, it's hard to put money on him at these odds.
Prediction: Makashvili
Play: Pass
Phillipe Nover (+155) vs. Yui Chul Nam (-175)
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It has been more than five years since The Ultimate Fighter 8 contestant Phillipe Nover appeared inside the Octagon. Now 31 years old, the man UFC President Dana White once compared to Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre will simply be looking to prove he belongs on the UFC roster.
Yui Chul Nam will welcome Nover to the Octagon after beating Kazuki Tokudome in his debut. While Nam started his UFC career well, he hasn't competed in 14 months, so rust could be a factor when he meets Nover this weekend.
Although Nover went 0-3 in his original UFC stint, he has a good chance to start his second run with a win. Given his hiatus, Nam could start slow, which might allow Nover to mount the upset in his return to the Octagon.
Prediction: Nover
Play: 1 percent bankroll on Nover
Hyun Gyu Lim (+105) vs. Neil Magny (-125)
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Following an admirable performance in a loss to Tarec Saffiedine, Hyun Gyu Lim rebounded against Takanori Sato. Now, though, Lim will run into one of the hottest fighters going in the stacked welterweight division.
Neil Magny still isn't getting much respect as a contender at 170 pounds. However, the TUF 16 contestant has won six in a row and does own a spot among the Top 15 competitors in the UFC welterweight class.
This should be a highly competitive bout, but Magny's improved wrestling should help him to a seventh straight win. He may not stop Lim on the ground, but Magny should have an advantage in the grappling department.
Prediction: Magny
Play: 1 percent bankroll on Magny
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Mark Munoz (+140) vs. Luke Barnatt (-160)
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After being stopped in the opening round during his past three outings, Mark Munoz has already said this will be his last MMA bout. Competing in the Philippines, The Filipino Wrecking Machine should have all the motivation he needs to go out with a bang.
Standing opposite Munoz at UFC Fight Night 66 will be Luke Barnatt. The Englishman has also been slumping with two straight losses heading into the weekend.
While Munoz has seemingly declined rapidly, he actually does match up well with Barnatt. If the All-American wrestler can get Barnatt to the ground early, he'll avoid his opponent's huge reach and grind out a decision or finish with ground-and-pound.
Prediction: Munoz
Play: 1 percent bankroll on Munoz
Gegard Mousasi (-650) vs. Costas Philippou (+475)
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Coming off a knockout win over Dan Henderson, Gegard Mousasi is ready to make another run at the top of the middleweight division. Despite all his experience, he is still only 29 years old and might only now be entering his prime.
In his latest appearance, Philippou broke out of a losing streak with a knockout win over Lorenz Larkin. A win over Mousasi this weekend would put Philippou back in the title picture.
That said, Mousasi is the more skilled fighter in all areas. Philippou might have more power, but Mousasi has only been stopped once in his career and is the more technical striker in this matchup. On the ground, Mousasi is much more likely to lock up a submission than Philippou is.
Prediction: Mousasi
Play: 3 percent bankroll on Mousasi
Frankie Edgar (-450) vs. Urijah Faber (+360)
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With stoppage wins over BJ Penn and Cub Swanson in his past two outings, Edgar is arguably already deserving of another title shot. However, he'll need at least one more win against Urijah Faber on Saturday.
At least for this weekend, Faber will be looking to continue his trend of winning every fight where a belt isn't up for grabs. The California Kid was performing well at 135 pounds but couldn't pass up a meeting with Edgar that could allow him to get back into the title picture at 145 pounds.
Despite being a former lightweight, Edgar seems to have a speed advantage over former bantamweight Faber. In an otherwise competitive matchup, Edgar's size and speed should give him the edge, but it's not big enough to justify betting on him at these odds.
Prediction: Edgar
Play: Pass
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