UFC Fight Night: Kattar vs. Ige odds, best bet
UFC Fight Night takes place Wednesday at Flash Forum in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and it'll feature a featherweight bout between Calvin Kattar and Dan Ige.
Here's a top play for the event.
Jimmie Rivera (-135) vs. Cody Stamann
Rivera's last victory inside the Octagon was a while ago, but remembering the level of competition he's been facing is important: Petr Yan (the current bantamweight champion), Aljamain Sterling, and Marlon Moraes all in the past two years. Those fighters are the UFC's three highest-ranked bantamweights right now, so there's no shame in losing to any of them.
Rivera likely won't become a title contender as many expected a few years ago, but that doesn't mean he'll lose his bout against Stamann on Wednesday.
It's a favorable matchup for "El Terror," and the price isn't bad at all, so he's worth a bet. Rivera is a master of timing and precision in the stand-up department, and he'll outwork Stamann over three rounds with his boxing. The 31-year-old is quicker and hits harder, too.
Stamann is an impressive wrestler, but he won't be able to consistently bring Rivera to the mat. The 30-year-old has somewhat moved away from his ground game in recent years, and Rivera's takedown defense is the best in the promotion at a 95.5% success rate. Stamann has improved on his feet, but he'll still be one step behind Rivera.
This fight will likely go to a decision. Many of Rivera's bouts have gone the distance, and Stamann's chin is solid. I expect Rivera will pick apart "Spartan" to snap his two-fight skid and earn his first win since September 2018.
Here are the full odds from theScore Bet for UFC Fight Night on July 15:
Main card
Calvin Kattar (-320) vs. Dan Ige (+250)
Tim Elliott (-120) vs. Ryan Benoit (-110)
Jimmie Rivera (-135) vs. Cody Stamann (+105)
Molly McCann (-115) vs. Taila Santos (-115)
Abdul Razak Alhassan (-330) vs. Mounir Lazzez (+260)
Preliminary card
Khamzat Chimaev (-340) vs. John Phillips (+270)
Ricardo Ramos (-160) vs. Lerone Murphy (+130)
Modestas Bukauskas (-225) vs. Andreas Michailidis (+180)
Jared Gordon (-150) vs. Chris Fishgold (+120)
Diana Belbita (-165) vs. Liana Jojua (+135)
Jack Shore (-700) vs. Aaron Phillips (+475)