UFC Fight Night events feature a mixture of the promotion’s best stars and talented fighters one win away from the elite. Tonight’s main event features flyweights Kai Kara-France and Amir Albazi.
Kara-France is coming off a loss to Brandon Moreno in a bid for the interim flyweight title. He entered this fight riding a three-fight winning streak.
Amir Albazi vs. Kai Kara-France
The UFC returns to the octagon for its Fight Night series this Saturday with a battle of top-10 flyweights in the main event. Kai Kara-France and Amir Albazi square off in a fight that could put the winner in the title mix.
The last time Kara-France was in the octagon, he lost to Brandon Moreno for the flyweight interim belt. The defeat snapped a three-fight winning streak and left him one win away from another title challenge. Kara-France’s style is a bit different than most in the division, but his ability to strike from multiple angles with power and precision makes him dangerous.
Despite losing to Moreno, Kara-France is still considered by many as the next best thing in the division. He is very popular and if he can add to his impressive resume, a title shot is not far off. This will be a big test against a talented opponent in Albazi, who is one of the top grapplers in the entire sport.
In the first round, both fighters landed significant strikes but Kara-France had a better percentage of successful right strikes. He also used his height and reach to control the action in the first half. Round two was more of a battle of submissions as both fighters looked for the finish. Kara-France was able to get takedowns in the third and fourth rounds but Albazi had a higher percentage of success on his submission attempts.
Amir Albazi’s takedown defense has been a huge part of his success in the UFC. His ability to escape from vulnerable positions gives him a major advantage over most of the competition in the flyweight division. This will be a big test against the talented Kara-France, but if Albazi can use his strength to keep this fight standing up, he has a good chance of earning a finish.
The final round was another close battle, with Kara-France landing more strikes and having a better percentage of successful right hooks. In the end, it was a split decision and Kara-France retains his rank in the top 10. The rest of the card featured several promising young fighters as well. Philipe Lins defeated Maxim Grishin and Da’mon Blackshear took down Luan Lacerda by TKO in the preliminary card.
Fight Predictions
Amir Albazi passed his first test against flyweight’s elite with a solid win over Kai Kara-France, but it wasn’t the emphatic victory that would inspire a title challenge. His next fight will be a much bigger challenge against the dangerous Muin Gaferov, who is also looking to make it back to the top of the division. The fight takes place on Saturday night at the Las Vegas Arena and will be one of the main events of UFC Fight Night 74.
Despite losing his last two fights, Gaferov remains a dangerous opponent for anyone he faces in the Octagon. He has excellent striking on the outside and can also take a fighter down if needed. He’s a good option to consider for your main-event wager this weekend.
The co-main event pits a pair of veterans in a tough matchup. Jailton Almeida has been one of the more consistent fighters at 185 pounds in recent years and will look to continue that trend against Matt Turkalj. Both fighters possess significant power, but Almeida will have the advantage when it comes to striking. He has a good arsenal that includes a strong jab and solid right hook.
Another interesting contest on the main card sees Carlos Ulberg taking on Tim Means. Both fighters are known for creating high-pressure exchanges, but this is where Ulberg’s durability will be tested. The 38-year-old possesses the skills necessary to avoid the majority of the fight, but he could get sucked into an early brawl and find himself dealing with a lot of damage.
The remaining fights on the main card all feature solid options for your wagers. Philipe Lins should easily beat Maxim Grishin in the opener, while Da’mon Blackshear and Luan Lacerda are both expected to finish their opponents with TKOs. Elise Reed is a solid boxer and should earn the win over Jinh Yu Frey in the last featured fight of the evening.
Fight Odds
There are several ways to wager on a UFC fight, including the odds to win and the total number of rounds. The odds to win are the easiest to understand; they simply tell you who is expected to win the bout. Often, the odds to win are determined well before a fight takes place, though they can shift for various reasons. If the sportsbooks are seeing a lot of action on one side, they may adjust the odds to even out the betting. The total number of rounds prop is another popular wager, and it is available for most UFC events.
The total number of rounds prop is typically divided into three or four rounds, with each round having a specific amount of time assigned to it. The over-under is then calculated by dividing the number of rounds by the amount of time per round. The odds to win a particular round are then multiplied by the over-under number, and if you’re correct, your bet will pay out.
Fight odds are typically displayed in American format, though decimal and fractional odds are more common in Europe. American odds are displayed as positive or negative numbers, with the higher the positive number, the more likely you are to win your bet. In order to make the most accurate bets, you should research the fighters and their styles before placing your bets.
When betting on a UFC fight, it is important to remember that you’re not just looking at the matchup between two fighters; you’re also weighing in the ring conditions and other variables. Despite the fact that these factors might not have any direct impact on the outcome of a fight, they should be taken into account when calculating your potential winnings.
It is also possible to place bets on the method of victory, which is a popular way to increase the excitement of a fight. This wager can be made on either a knockout or decision. In the case of a KO, you’re betting that a specific punch or kick will finish the fight in the first minute of the round. In the case of a decision, you’re betting on which fighter will earn a unanimous verdict.
Fight Lines
The main event for this weekend’s UFC Fight Night event features a pair of top Flyweight contenders. The #3 ranked Kai Kara-France takes on the #7 ranked Amir Albazi inside the lame APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The betting odds for this fight have been in a pick’em shape since they initially dropped, with Albazi opening as the favored bet and Kara-France as the underdog.
Amir Albazi is a well-rounded fighter, with a nice mix of submissions and knockouts in his past victories. He also thrives off of top position, as 14 of his 16 wins have come via either submission or a takedown. The biggest thing for him to focus on in this fight is not to over-extend himself in the standup, as he has done in many of his recent fights. Instead, he should be looking to attack the legs of Kara-France, using calf and front kicks to create pressure. If he can do that, then wrestling opportunities will open up naturally for him.
Kai Kara-France is a great striker, with impressive power in his arsenal. He uses a lot of movement and feints to establish long range, and then he’ll either crash forward with huge power punches or look for big counters as his opponent attempts to follow him up. He’s been able to stop 11 of his foes through knockout, making him a tough test for any 125-pounder.
Kara-France’s style is a perfect match for Albazi’s. He’s a very fast fighter, and he’s got good clinch work and ground-and-pound to go along with his striking skills. This is the first time he’ll be fighting past three rounds in his double-digit UFC career, but he should be able to make adjustments as the fight progresses.
Another bet to consider is the over/under on the number of rounds this fight will last. The over is set at 3.5 rounds, while the under is currently sitting at 2.5. Most UFC bouts are scheduled for five rounds of five minutes each, but a knockout or submission can end the fight early.
