UFC 244 Fight Card: PPV Schedule, Odds and Predictions for Masvidal vs. Diaz
Fights like the main event of UFC 244 between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz are the lifeblood of mixed martial arts.
It doesn't get more simple. Two men motivated by the opportunity to prove their toughness looking to do damage and put on a display of beautiful violence.
There's no title on the line, other than the one the UFC made up specifically for the fight. There's little to no concern about "wolf tickets." Just two guys who have a track record of delivering the goods.
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They'll fight for a one-time-only "BMF" championship belt in what is expected to be at least Fight of the Night if not the year. The result is a card that fans won't want to miss.
UFC 244 Fight Card
Main Card (ESPN+ PPV at 10 p.m. ET)
- 170 lbs.: Jorge Masvidal (-175; Bet $175 to win $100) vs. Nate Diaz (+145)
- 185 lbs.: Kelvin Gastelum (-200) vs. Darren Till (+170)
- 170 lbs.: Vicente Luque (-105) vs. Stephen Thompson (-125)
- 265 lbs.: Blagoy Ivanov (-125) vs. Derrick Lewis (-105)
- 155 lbs.: Kevin Lee (+130) vs. Gregor Gillespie (-160)
UFC 244 ESPN 2 Prelims (8 p.m. ET)
- 205 lbs.: Corey Anderson (+130) vs. Johnny Walker (-160)
- 145 lbs.: Makwan Amirkhani (+200) vs. Shane Burgos (-250)
- 185 lbs.: Edmen Shahbazyan (-130) vs. Brad Tavares (+100)
- 265 lbs.: Andrei Arlovski (+120) vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (-150)
UFC 244 ESPN+ Prelims (6:30 p.m. ET)
- 135 lbs.: Katlyn Chookagian (-160) vs. Jennifer Maia (+130)
- 170 lbs.: Lyman Good (-130) vs. Chance Rencountre (+100)
- 145 lbs.: Julio Arce (+110) vs. Hakeem Dawodu (-140)
Odds via Caesars.
Biggest Questions Heading into the Night
Who is the Baddest?
The draw to the main event between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz is plain to see. Both have delivered exciting fights throughout their careers. Diaz has largely been absent from the sport since his two fights with Conor McGregor, and in his stead, Masvidal has taken over as the streetwise, aggressive brawler who isn't afraid to speak his mind.
Now Diaz is making a rare appearance to establish himself as the "BMF" in the UFC.
It's a fascinating quarrel as it pits Diaz's tenacity, volume and cardio against Masvidal's creativity, power and grit.
Neither man has been afraid to take risks and lose a fight doing so. They have a combined 20 losses in their careers, and both will be willing to go out on their shield in this one.
Diaz and Masvidal have skills on the ground, but it would be shocking if this wasn't an all-out slugfest. In the early rounds, that favors Masvidal's power. If and when it goes to the championship rounds, that's where Diaz could make hay as his cardio gives him the edge over most opponents.
Prediction: Masvidal via third-round TKO
Will Darren Till Fare Better at Middleweight?
It wasn't too long ago that an undefeated Darren Till was challenging Tyron Woodley for the welterweight championship.
Things haven't panned out for him since. T-Wood submitted the Briton in the second round, and then Till lost another welterweight bout to Masvidal in devastating fashion with a TKO in Round 2.
It's been a quick fall from glory, and he's hoping that a change in scenery will reverse his fortune. Till—who missed weight twice as a welterweight—will try his hand at middleweight and will see a man who lost his own title shot recently in Kelvin Gastelum.
Till was always a big welterweight, so it will be interesting to see how he adjusts to the middleweight division. The 5'9", 28-year-old Gastelum is a former welterweight himself, though, so he is, literally, not the biggest challenge Till could have faced.
However, he will challenge him in plenty of other ways. He's proven a capable striker despite his stocky frame and has excellent wrestling.
His well-rounded game makes him a tricky out for anyone and a difficult challenge for Till to see where he stands in his new division.
Prediction: Gastelum via decision
Just How Good is Vicente Luque?
Till was once the next big thing in the welterweight division, and Vicente Luque is now trying to reach that status. The 27-year-old just keeps on turning in impressive performances and will see a well-deserved step up in competition against Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson.
It's an opportunity for Luque to get a win over a Top 10 opponent in front of a pay-per-view audience. An opportunity that would surely open up some big doors in a division that is stacked with well-known challengers.
Thompson is one of those challengers. He was denied the belt by the smallest of margins against Tyron Woodley in 2016 in a majority draw.
However, Thompson's shine has worn off over time. He's looked washed in his most recent bouts, specifically a decision loss to Till and a second-round knockout loss to Anthony Pettis.
The decline of a fighter can be rapid, and it looks like Wonderboy might be in the middle of a free fall.
Luque should meet him on the way up. He just seems to continue to surge up the rankings, and this fight will continue that trend.
Prediction: Luque via first-round TKO
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