UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Strickland Full Card Betting Guide
The final fight card of the year concludes with a banger as exciting middleweights Jared Cannonier and Sean Strickland square off at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
The 13-fight card will start at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 17.
Make sure to check out Question Mark Kicks two hours before the prelims begin for Matt and Craig’s final thoughts on the fight card.
Fight Previews
Bantamweight
Sergey Morozov (-323)
Record: 18-5 (2-2 UFC)
Wins: 8 KO, 3 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 3 SUB
Props: Over 2.5 (-154); Wins ITD (+166), by decision (+136), by TKO (+304), by submission (+465)
Journey Newson (+256)
Record: 10-3 (1-2 UFC)
Wins: 3 KO, 3 SUB | Losses: 2 KO
Props: Under 2.5 (+122); Wins ITD (+502), by decision (+514), by TKO (+586), by submission (+1869)
Best Value: Journey Newson (+256)
I thought there was probably some value at +215 early in the week, and like it even more as the odds continue to drift in Morozov’s favor.
Flyweight
David Dvorak (+206)
Record: 20-4 (3-1 UFC)
Wins: 8 KO, 8 SUB | Losses: 1 KO
Props: Over 2.5 (-145); Wins ITD (+565), by decision (+337), by TKO (+950), by submission (+1319)
Manel Kape (-255)
Record: 17-6 (2-2 UFC)
Wins: 11 KO, 5 SUB | Losses: 2 SUB
Props: Under 2.5 (+115); Wins ITD (+142), by decision (+191), by TKO (+170), by submission (+1225)
Best Value: Over 2.5 rounds (-145)
Kape can be a very patient fighter and Dvorak is known to last despite some defensive lapses. This should end in the judges’ hands.
Welterweight
Bryan Battle (+127)
Record: 8-1 (3-0 UFC)
Wins: 2 KO, 4 SUB | Losses: 1 SUB
Props: Over 2.5 (-158); Wins ITD (+370), by decision (+263), by TKO (+788), by submission (+751)
Rinat Fakhretdinov (-151)
Record: 20-2 (1-0 UFC)
Wins: 11 KO, 6 SUB | Losses: 2 DEC
Props: Under 2.5 (+124); Wins ITD (+231), by decision (+196), by TKO (+348), by submission (+569)
Best Value: Battle TKO (+788)
This is a longshot dart throw of a bet, but the odds are enticing. Battle’s power carries well at welterweight and I don’t trust Fakhretdinov’s wild striking style.
Lightweight
Rafa Garcia (-145)
Record: 14-3 (2-3 UFC)
Wins: 1 KO, 8 SUB | Losses: 3 DEC
Props: Over 2.5 (-188); Wins ITD (+406), by decision (+138), by TKO (+1286), by submission (+537)
Maheshate (+122)
Record: 9-1 (1-0 UFC)
Wins: 4 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 1 DEC
Props: Under 2.5 (+153); Wins ITD (+250), by decision (+325), by TKO (+282), by submission (+1692)
Best Value: Under 2.5 rounds (+153)
Both these fighters are quite hittable, and if things turn into a brawl, someone is going down early.
Bantamweight
Said Nurmagomedov (-102)
Record: 16-2 (5-1 UFC)
Wins: 4 KO, 4 SUB | Losses: 3 DEC
Props: Over 2.5 (-178); Wins ITD (+278), by decision (+232), by TKO (+483), by submission (+725)
Saidyokub Kakhramonov (-119)
Record: 10-2 (2-0 UFC)
Wins: 3 KO, 4 SUB | Losses: 1 KO
Props: Under 2.5 (+139); Wins ITD (+314), by decision (+212), by TKO (+461), by submission (+788)
Best Value: Said Nurmagomedov (-102)
The odds have oddly flipped to Kakhramonov, and I was already willing to put this in a parlay. Nurmagomedov is far more technical with his skillset and I don’t foresee him getting held down for long periods of time.
Welterweight
Jake Matthews (-304)
Record: 18-5 (11-5 UFC)
Wins: 5 KO, 7 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 3 SUB
Props: Over 2.5 (-157); Wins ITD (+159), by decision (+137), by TKO (+405), by submission (+351)
Matthew Semelsberger (+244)
Record: 10-4 (4-2 UFC)
Wins: 6 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 1 SUB
Props: Under 2.5 (+124); Wins ITD (+570), by decision (+459), by TKO (+671), by submission (+2119)
Best Value: Matthew Semelsberger (+244)
This is a pop and popcorn all the way, which means if you do bet on it, might as well get plus odds.
Women’s Strawweight
Cheyanne Vlismas (-188)
Record: 7-2 (2-1 UFC)
Wins: 2 KO | Losses: 2 DEC
Props: Over 2.5 (-361); Wins ITD (+374), by decision (+102), by TKO (+461), by submission (+1400)
Cory McKenna (+159)
Record: 7-2 (2-1 UFC)
Wins: 2 KO, 2 SUB | Losses: 2 DEC
Props: Under 2.5 (+266); Wins ITD (+641), by decision (+236), by TKO (+1543), by submission (+1023)
Best Value: Cory McKenna (+159)
The Warrior Princess hasn’t fought in a year and this is a much closer bout than the odds suggest. Still, these unranked women’s strawweight fights are often hard to predict and I don’t blame you if you leave it off your card.
Middleweight
Cody Brundage (+229)
Record: 8-2 (2-1 UFC)
Wins: 4 KO, 3 SUB | Losses: 1 KO
Props: Over 1.5 (+105); Wins ITD (+363), by decision (+722), by TKO (+950), by submission (+594)
Michal Oleksiejczuk (-281)
Record: 17-5 (5-3 UFC)
Wins: 12 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 3 SUB
Props: Under 1.5 (-134); Wins ITD (-133), by decision (+350), by TKO (-114), by submission (+1331)
Best Value: Oleksiejczuk TKO (-114)
The combination of power, size and speed that “Hussar” brings to the table against a hittable Brundage is frightening.
Lightweight
Drew Dober (-157)
Record: 25-11 (11-7 UFC)
Wins: 9 KO, 9 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 4 SUB
Props: Over 2.5 (-182); Wins ITD (+183), by decision (+221), by TKO (+219), by submission (+1388)
Bobby Green (+131)
Record: 29-13-1 (10-8-1 UFC)
Wins: 10 KO, 8 SUB | Losses: 3 KO, 2 SUB
Props: Under 2.5 (+144); Wins ITD (+590), by decision (+203), by TKO (+771), by submission (+1732)
Best Value: Bobby Green (+131)
Another pop and popcorn for me where I’m just putting the plus-odds fighter in the space above to have something there. I’m quite intrigued with the matchup, though.
Featherweight
Alex Caceres (+143)
Record: 19-13 (14-11 UFC)
Wins: 3 KO, 7 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 7 SUB
Props: Over 2.5 (-163); Wins ITD (+406), by decision (+307), by TKO (+607), by submission (+994)
Julian Erosa (-170)
Record: 28-9 (6-5 UFC)
Wins: 11 KO, 12 SUB | Losses: 5 KO
Props: Under 2.5 (+128); Wins ITD (+223), by decision (+165), by TKO (+414), by submission (+527)
Best Value: Caceres decision (+307)
“Bruce Leeroy” should have the advantage early where he will dictate the pace with his striking. But Erosa is a crafty and tough MF’r. It wouldn’t shock me to see him snatch a finish somewhere in the third round but I like these odds where they’re at now. If you wanted to pair this with an Erosa wins in R3 (+1146) bet, it might be a good way to secure the bag.
Flyweight
Amir Albazi (-444)
Record: 15-1 (3-0 UFC)
Wins: 5 KO, 8 SUB | Losses: 1 DEC
Props: Over 2.5 (+112); Wins ITD (-139), by decision (+232), by TKO (+370), by submission (+131)
Alessandro Costa (+342)
Record: 12-2 (UFC debut)
Wins: 3 KO, 6 SUB | Losses: 1 KO
Props: Under 2.5 (-144); Wins ITD (+641), by decision (+646), by TKO (+993), by submission (+1948)
Best Value: Albazi ITD (-139)
The UFC really hanging the debutant out to dry on this one. These odds still seem quite favorable considering the talent level of “The Prince”.
Lightweight
Arman Tsarukyan (-198)
Record: 18-3 (5-2 UFC)
Wins: 7 KO, 5 SUB | Losses: 1 KO
Props: Over 2.5 (-277); Wins ITD (+262), by decision (+126), by TKO (+393), by submission (+884)
Damir Ismagulov (+164)
Record: 24-1 (5-0 UFC)
Wins: 12 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 1 DEC
Props: Under 2.5 (+209); Wins ITD (+738), by decision (+235), by TKO (+800), by submission (+2399)
Best Value: Over 2.5 rounds (-277)
Seven of Ismagulov’s last eight fights went the distance; the other was ended early via a fluke arm injury. This is going to be a grinding, grueling fight.
Middleweight
Jared Cannonier (-111)
Record: 15-6 (8-6 UFC)
Wins: 9 KO, 3 SUB | Losses: 2 KO
Props: Over 4.5 (-133); Wins ITD (+205), by decision (+319), by TKO (+250), by submission (+1519)
Sean Strickland (-109)
Record: 25-4 (12-4 UFC)
Wins: 10 KO, 4 SUB | Losses: 2 KO
Props: Under 4.5 (+104); Wins ITD (+337), by decision (+198), by TKO (+393), by submission (+1281)
Best Value: Cannonier TKO (+250)
This is a coin-flip fight with both guys at minus-odds. I don’t think there’s great value in this bet either, but if you want to bet on the main event, it’s probably the best of the bunch.
Results
UFC 282
Josh: 3-3 (1-0 parlay), +2.02u
Matt: 8-3, +4.19u
Craig: 9-2, +7.24u
2022 Results
Josh: 120-141 (13-26 parlay), +14.91u
Matt: 317-164, +16.39u
Craig: 313-168, +30.82u
Editor’s Note: Matt and Craig make picks for every fight, regardless of betting lines. This exercise assumes a 1u bet on each fight.
My Card
Best Bets (2u each)
Albazi ITD (-139)
Straight bets (1u each)
Said Nurmagomedov (-102)
Underdogs (1u each)
Journey Newson (+256)
Cory McKenna (+159)
Props (1u each)
Battle TKO (+788)
Garcia-Maheshate U2.5 (+153)
Oleksiejczuk TKO (-114)
Parlay (+347)
Said Nurmagomedov (-102), Michal Oleksiejczuk (-281), Amir Albazi (-444), Tsarukyan-Ismagulov O2.5 (-277)