by King Hazard
The AT&T Center in San Antonio will host the highly anticipated July 20th event.
With six competitive fights on the main card, there is plenty of action to watch as well as a healthy number of fights to choose from if you like getting in the action at top online betting sites like 5Dimes.
Let’s start at the top of the card and preview a couple of matches and their odds.
Rafael Dos Anjos vs. Leon Edwards -120
We might as well get right down to the nitty-gritty of the night. Pundits have been saying that Dos Anjos is in decline, which is understandable given his back-to-back losses. But his submission over Kevin Lee showed that he still has sufficient game to be a headliner.
One thing that is slightly concerning for Rafael is the short turnover from his last fight. Leon Edwards is no cupcake. Taking a tough fight right after you fought means no break in training, and at 35 years old, that isn’t as easy as it is when you’re in your twenties.
Edwards will have a 6-inch height and 4-inch reach advantage. And we better believe that Leon Edwards has been wanting a shot at Dos Anjos for some time now … at least since his victory over ‘The Cowboy’ Cerrone. His only losses come at the hands of Kamaru Usman and Claudio Silva, which many see as one of those questionable losses. If Edwards can put Dos Anjos away, it will give him a lot of leverage for a shot at a rematch against the Usman, the current champ.
Edwards is an intelligent fighter. And it’s that reason that he’s a slight favorite. Many will be on RDA at the favorite, but this is his fight to lose. He has momentum and a lot more to gain out of this fight. His jab has a lot of pop, and his kicks are pretty nasty as well, so with his height and reach advantage, he should be able to control RDA in the stand-up game. But Dos Anjos is Dos Anjos. He is going to come prepared and is one of the most well-rounded fighters in the UFC. He and Edwards have similar styles and do a lot of the same things well, so this fight should go the distance. That said, I see Edwards getting a decision win. Take Edwards by decision +150.
Aleksei Oleinik vs. Walt Harris -145
The big boys could put on a strange matchup. “The Boa Constrictor” is 42 years old and is known for being a fantastic grappler for a big man. But he’s also known for taking a ton of damage while trying to get his opponents to the ground. Harris is an athletic heavyweight who will make Oleinik pay for his takedown attempts.
He tends to struggle more against guys who can strike just as well as him, but Aleksei is a master on the ground, so if he takes the Big Ticket down, it could be over in short order. That’s why, he’ll have to be successful with his takedowns early in the fight. The longer it goes, the more damage is going to build up. He needs to submit Walt Harris in the first round. Otherwise, I see this fight going towards a Big Ticket TKO, which is the way I lean. You can find him to win inside the distance at -125.
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