SMUGGLING DUDS UFC 277 GAMBLING GUIDE
With two titles on the line in the main and co-main event, plus Derrick Lewis on the under card, let’s hope this one is a bit more exciting and our picks are a bit more successful than the UFC’s trip to London last week!
Main Card (BT Sport)
Juliana Pena (C) vs. Amanda Nunes (Women’s Bantamweight)
Anyone who has watched the countdown video for this event will see that it appears the former champ is training for this crucial rematch in her garage! This doesn’t fill us with confidence but to be honest, it has surprised us that Pena comes in to this one as such a big underdog for the second time (her win over Nunes was by no means a fluke). If ‘The Venezuelan Vixen’ is going to win again, it will be exactly the same way as she did back in December of last year. Something tells us this one gets a rubber match, and if the Brazilian can get her timing right (it was so far off in their first scrap we saw her punches coming 5 minutes before she even threw them) she should be able to get the stoppage. Some money on Pena by sub again is definitely worth a shout though.
WINNER: Nunes
METHOD: KO/TKO
Brandon Moreno vs. Kai Kara France (Flyweight)
Another rematch as these two faced each other way back in Christmas 2019, whilst it can definitely be argued Kara France is a different fighters, the same can be said for Moreno. More than likely to go the distance and end in the same result.
WINNER: Moreno
METHOD: Decision
Derrick Lewis vs. Sergei Pavlovich (Heavyweight)
Lewis seems to struggle with the pressure of fighting in his home city but yet hear he is, fighting in front of a capacity crowd, in Texas. The ‘Black Beast’ only fought in February of this year so a relatively quick turn-around but he clearly has a point to prove. He’s up against and absolute power house but as one of our favourite fighters to watch, we are willing to back Lewis one more time. Let’s just say we aren’t 100% sure he’ll come out on top. One thing is for sure, this isn’t going the distance.
WINNER: Lewis
METHOD: KO/TKO
Alexandre Pantoja vs. Alex Perez (Flyweight)
An exciting match up this one that should provide fans with some entertaining flyweight action! We’ve back Pantoja before and he’s always done us proud so will be picking him for a decision win.
WINNER: Pantoja
METHOD: Decision
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Anthony Smith (Light Heavyweight)
If Smith can do the unthinkable and get rid of Ankaleav early door he may stand a chance. We think ‘Lion Heart’ will have some success in the first round but won’t be able to keep up the same pace in two and three giving Ankalaev enough opportunity to get his hand raised.
WINNER: Ankalaev
METHOD: Decision
Preliminary Card (BT Sport)
Alex Morono vs. Matthew Semelsberger (Welterweight)
Tough one to call as both fighters are slowly improving each bout and moving up the ranks. Morono is probably more of a finished product whereas his opponent is a little wilder, and should get the nod.
WINNER: Morono
METHOD: Decision
Drew Dober vs. Rafael Alves (Lightweight)
Alves is yet to fight this year so fans will be eager to see how he copes against one of the most durable lightweights in the UFC. Probably best to leave this one of your accumulators but if we had to pick (which we do obviously) it is going to be Dober grinding out a decision.
WINNER: Dober
METHOD: Decision
Don’Tale Mayes vs.Hambdy Abdelwahab (Heavyweight)
DWCS stand out Mayes was originally lined up to face Justin Tafa but a late drop out means newcomer Abdelwahab gets an opportunity to impress on the big stage. Whilst the replacement fighter doesn’t quite have the experience his opponent has, he’s still a bad man. Watch out for the upset.
WINNER: Abdelwahab
METHOD: KO/TKO
Drakkar Klose vs. Rafa Garcia (Lightweight)
An injury forced Carlos Diego Ferreira out of this one so Drakkar Klose faces Rafa Garcia at relatively short notice. It shouldn’t matter too much as Klose is more than capable of winning this one decisively.
WINNER: Klose
METHOD: Decision
Early Prelims (UFC Fight Pass)
Michael Morales vs. Adam Fuggit (Welterweight)
A bout we’ll be keeping an eye on purely because we think it is a one to watch in the action stakes. Newcomer Fuggit brings with him some decent hype and might just produce a dream debut performance.
WINNER: Fuggit
METHOD: KO/TKO
Joselyn Edwards vs. Ji Yeon Kim Johnson (Women’s Bantamweight)
A one that can go either way. Both fighters don’t have the greatest track records but with the Korean native’s being the worst, her UFC career balances on this performance. It will go the distance but we are going to put our necks on the line once again and say Ji Yeon Kim Johnson wins via split decision.
WINNER: Kim Johnson
METHOD: Decision
Nicolae Negumereanu vs. Ihor Petieria (Light Heavyweight)
Fresh off a dazzling performance on DWCS, if Petiera can do the same against a seasoned UFC fighter in Negumereanu then the Ukraine will have a new star in the world of combat sports.
WINNER: Petiera
METHOD: KO/TKO
Orion Cosce vs. Mike Mathetha (Women’s Flyweight)
The UFC debut of Israel Adesanya’s good friend and team mate ‘Blood Diamond’ could not have been worse. Here is with a second crack of the whip against someone more beatable. We are still not sure Matheha is cut out for the UFC but he will either prove us wrong with the best KO of the night, or end up on his back seeing stars.
WINNER: Cosce
METHOD: KO/TKO
UFC 277 WILD CARD BET: Sergei Pavlovich to defeat Derrick Lewis via KO/TKO
SMUGGLING DUDS - HOME OF THE ORIGINAL STASH BOXERS
No messing around here, our boxer shorts have a US Design Patent and a EU Design Registration!