ODDSbible MMA: UFC 211 Betting Preview

The UFC returns after a three week break with their biggest card of the year so far. The American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas plays host to UFC 211, headlined by Stipe Miocic defending his heavyweight title to former champion, Junior dos Santos.

The heavyweight championship isn't the only gold up for grabs this weekend with undefeated strawweight queen Joanna Jedrzejczyk defending her title against Jessica Andrade.

Demian Maia and Jorge Masvidal compete in what is a potential welterweight championship eliminator with the winner set to face Tyron Woodley, whilst Frankie Edgar takes on Yair Rodriguez in a huge fight in the featherweight division.

Following the withdrawal of a flyweight bout between Henry Cejudo and Sergio Pettis, a bout between Krzysztof Jotko and David Branch in the middleweight division has been moved up to the main portion of the card.

Eddie Alvarez will close the prelims in his first outing since losing the lightweight title to Conor McGregor at UFC 205, as he takes on Dustin Poirier.

Our resident MMA expert Darren Russell (@DRussellMMA) looks at the bets to make ahead of the biggest card of 2017.

Krzysztof Jotko to win by decision v David Branch

11/8 at BetVictor

Polish middleweight Krzysztof Jotko looks to move further up the 185lb rankings as he takes on former World Series of Fighting two-weight champion, David Branch.

Branch is returning to the UFC, having been cut with a 2-2 record and has since amassed a 12-1 record since leaving with his sole loss coming to Anthony Johnson.

Jotko claimed the biggest scalp of his career in 2016, defeating Thales Leites in November in Brazil and looks to improve his 9^th placed ranking in the division.

Expect Jotko to utilise his not so exciting style of grinding fights to a decision.

Eddie Alvarez to win by decision v Dustin Poirier

5/2 at BetVictor

From headlining the biggest event in UFC history to being on the prelims. What a difference six months makes for Eddie Alvarez.

He faces off against Dustin Poirier, another man who has been defeated by Conor McGregor in what is a mouth-watering fight for a prelim slot.

"The Underground King" Alvarez fights in the UFC for the first time outside of being a headliner or in the co-main event and will look to bounce back from that defeat in New York.

Expect Alvarez to go back to his wrestling background and show a bit of caution in his striking.

Poirier is dangerous and if he can start fast he might unsettle Alvarez but I'd expect the former UFC lightweight champion to drag the fight to a decision.

Demian Maia to win by decision v Jorge Masvidal

4/1 at BetVictor

At the tender age of thirty-nine, Demian Maia can consider himself highly unlucky not to have had a shot at the title, especially as he's won six fights in a row including wins over Carlos Condit and Gunnar Nelson.

Jorge Masvidal is a dangerous opponent, recently dismantling Donald Cerrone inside two rounds and will be taking part in his fifth fight in the last twelve months.

Maia is a fourth-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and has submitted no less than nine opponents in the UFC but also holds eight decision victories.

Masvidal is a high-level wrestler and holds considerably better striking attributes than Maia, but will have to stop the takedown to have any chance of stopping the Brazilian.

Only four in Masvidal's last twenty fights haven't gone the distance. Expect Maia to take the fight to the ground and control the fight with his superior ground game.

ODDSbible's Best Bet

Stipe Miocic to win by KO/TKO in Round 2 v Junior dos Santos

10/1 at BetVictor

Stipe Miocic has the opportunity to avenge his 2014 loss to Junior dos Santos in the main event and in doing so, defend his heavyweight title.

The first fight was outstanding, and could have easily gone to either man (watch it!) but Stipe Miocic has vastly improved since that bout and has strung four knockout victories together since that night in Phoenix, Arizona.

Junior dos Santos has since lost to Alistair Overeem and won a dominant decision over Ben Rothwell to set up the rematch and in the heavyweight division, it only takes one!

Miocic has an impressive 50% striking accuracy to compliment the three-inch advantage he'll have on the night. Since that loss, he has placed more trust in his striking with the following fight against Mark Hunt setting the record for the most strikes in a UFC fight EVER.

Dos Santos meanwhile is looking for back-to-back wins for the first time since 2012 and must look to utilise his kicks and get in and out of Miocic's range quickly.

I expect Miocic to be slightly cautious in the first round, with the fact his cardio let him down in the first fight before pressing on in the second.

This represents pretty good value whilst a win in Round 1 or 2 is priced at 9/4, also good odds!

ODDSbible's Treble: Jessica Aguilar, Chas Skelly & Yair Rodriguez all to win - £20 returns £152 at BetVictor

Darren was back on the Obviously Fight Talk podcast to break down the fights at UFC 211.

Check it out...

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Anonymous