The Fight Analyst is coming off of a clean sweep 3-0 (57-27 overall) at UFC 280. He is looking to keep his hot streak going this weekend at UFC Vegas 63!
The UFC is back in the states after a remarkable PPV event in Abu Dhabi. We saw the Lightweight championship change hands as Islam Makhachev submitted Charles Oliveira in just 2 rounds.
Meanwhile Aljamain Sterling pleaded his case that he is the best bantamweight ever as he finished TJ Dillashaw in just 2 rounds.
Now the UFC is headed to the Apex for a featherweight showdown between two of the division’s best, Calvin Kattar and Arnold Allen. A win from either fighter can certainly catapult them into title contention. With that said, let’s take a look at the Best Bets for UFC Vegas 63.
Dustin Jacoby vs. Khalil Rountree
In the Light heavyweight division, we have a banger between two elite strikers in Dustin Jacoby and Khalil Rountree. Both are coming off of win streaks and are looking to keep their winning ways going.
Jacoby got his biggest win in his last fight against the surging Da Un Jung. He is arguably one of the best strikers in the light heavyweight division and will put on a show against his counterpart Rountree this weekend.
Rountree has quietly amassed a nice little two-fight win streak knocking out both of his opponents. He really has shown his progression since his time on The Ultimate Fighter and is really coming into his own. He will need to be at his best to get the upset win over Jacoby.
We can expect a kickboxing affair between these two fighters which makes me feel fairly confident in Jacoby. Rountree is a typical power striker that Jacoby has seen and beat before in the UFC octagon as well as in the Glory kickboxing ring. Ultimately it’s a little dicey early on but Jacoby picks apart Rountree at range with his kicks and lo g range attacks to win a wide unanimous decision.
| The Fight Analyst’s Pick |
|---|
| Dustin Jacoby to win -178 |
Andrei Arlovski vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima
In the heavyweight division, we have a fight between two mainstays as the former champion “The Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski looks to keep his winning streak alive as he takes on a dangerous striker in Marcos Rogerio de Lima.
Arlovski is one of the few fighters that has somehow turned back time. He is now 43 years old, riding a 4-fight winning streak and has won 6 out of his last 7. He has been able to adapt to the times with his fighting style which has helped him tremendously during his streak.
De Lima was riding high coming off of back-to-back wins for only the second time in his career only to lose a close decision to Blagoy Ivanov. Unlike Arlovski, de Lima hasn’t adjusted his fighting style as his gotten older at now age 37. He comes fast and heavy which has its pros and cons as it’s either he gets an emphatic finish or he fades as the fight goes on.
At the current price on Arlovski, it is hard to not bet him here in this spot. I know this fight will be dicey early on but as long as Arlovski can weather the early storm as he has time and time again he should come out victorious making it 5 in a row for The Pitbull.
| The Fight Analyst’s Pick |
|---|
| Andrei Arlovski to win +215 |
Max Griffin vs. Tim Means
In the co-main event, we have a welterweight scrap between Max Griffin and Tim Means. Both fighters are coming off of losses which should make for an exciting fight as they are desperate for a win.
Griffin even in a close and controversial loss to Neil Magny looked very good. He gave Magny a ton of trouble with his movement, his power, and his ability to mix things up. This new version of Griffin needs to be put on full display against the always-game Tim Means.
Means is coming off of a one-sided beatdown at the hands of Kevin Holland which really showed his age. He said in interviews leading up to this fight, that he had injuries coming into that fight with Holland. That doesn’t bode well against a fresh and hungry fight in Max Griffin.
Like I stated in the Aljamain Sterling and TJ Dillashaw fight, it is never good to bet on an aging fighter coming off of injuries, which is what we have here. This is a good fade spot on Means where we are getting Griffin at his professional peak. Give me Max Griffin to get the job done in a fashion.
| The Fight Analyst’s Pick |
|---|
| Max Griffin to win -180 |
