The Fight Analyst went 3-0 last week (overall record to 47-22). He will be looking to sweep again this weekend at UFC 279.
The UFC is coming off of a stellar event over in Paris, France. We saw one of the best heavyweight fights of the year between Ciryl Gane and Tai Tuivasa.
Up next, is a stacked UFC 279 PPV event headlined by fan favorite Nate Diaz and the human wrecking machine that is Khamzat Chimaev. With that said, let’s take a look at the Best Bets for UFC 279.
$1000 Welcome BonusHakeem Dawodu vs. Julian Erosa
In the featherweight division, we have a fun scrap between Hakeem Dawodu and Julian Erosa. Both fighters are coming off of wins and are looking to keep their momentum going.
Dawodu is quietly 6-1 coming into this fight with his lone loss to contender Movsar Evloev. He is a very accomplished Muay Thai kickboxing champion that has out-struck each of his last 7 opponents. If he is able to keep this fight upright it could be a long night for Erosa.
Erosa also is coming into this fight in rare form with a 4-1 record in his last 5 fights, most recently outdueling Steven Peterson to a split decision. He is an opportunistic fighter that takes what his opponents give him, and that will need to come in handy in this matchup.
On the feet, Erosa is severely outmatched as Dawodu is by far the most striker he has faced in his career. He even had trouble in the stand up against Peterson in his last fight. So, it comes down to whether or not Erosa can hurt Dawodu on the feet or can take him down. Ultimately, Dawodu fends off any takedown attempts and out strikes Erosa to a wide decision victory.
| The Fight Analyst’s Pick |
|---|
| Hakeem Dawodu to win -220 |
Heili Alateng vs. Chad Anheliger
In the bantamweight division, we have a fight between Heili Alateng and Chad Anheliger. Both fighters are coming off of sensational performances last time out and are looking to keep things going this weekend.
Alateng is coming off of a brutal knockout win against Kevin Croom that lasted just 47 seconds in the first round. He has shown some real power on the feet with good grappling to go along with it. Being able to mix it up will serve him well in this matchup against Anheliger.
Anheliger is coming into this fight on the heels of a 10-fight winning streak and will be facing his stiffest competition to date against Alateng . He has shown true grit and toughness which has helped him overcome some early adversity in each of his last two fights. That will need to come in handy this weekend against the very tough Heili.
On paper, it looks like Alateng is arguably better everywhere than Anheliger. He has the power, technical striking and grappling advantages. Anheliger has been taken down a whopping 9 times in his last 2 fights and that could be the easiest path to victory for Alateng in this matchup. In short, Alateng lands the harder shots, mixes in takedowns and gets the unanimous decision victory.
| The Fight Analyst’s Pick |
|---|
| Heili Alateng to win -159 |
Johnny Walker vs. Ion Cutelaba
In the light heavyweight division, we have a banger of a fight as Johnny Walker takes on Ion Cutelaba. Both fighters are looking to right the ship and get back into the win column this weekend.
Walker is coming off of back-to-back losses and hasn’t had a win since 2020 against Ryan Spann. Even though Walker is in a rut, he has the ability to get back on track even in this matchup against the dangerous Cutelaba.
Cutelaba also has had his fair share of down moments only winning 1 fight in the last 3 years and just recently getting finished by Ryan Spann. He is one scary individual that has the power to knock out anyone in front of him and the wrestling to take it to the mat if need be as well. Mixing things up will be the key to success for Cutelaba in this one.
I truly believe Walker has a chance to bounce back here and the odds are off quite a bit. Cutelaba is one of the hardest hitters in the division but he is also one of the least technical strikers to go along with it. He had troubles with the height and length of Spann which had him overextending on his punches which ultimately led to his demise. In the end, Cutelaba has trouble with the range of Walker and gets caught while trying to rush in for a devastating knockout.
| The Fight Analyst’s Pick |
|---|
| Johnny Walker to win +185 |